Green Lantern: The Boy, The Trainer, and the Power Ring
by aggiefrogger
Summary: Teenager Sam McDormand is chosen as a Green Lantern and is taken to Oa to train, where he makes friends, as well as enemies, and butts heads with the Corp's trainer, Kilowog. Features several DC characters (later in story), good AND bad. Rated T for language and some fighting and blood. Note: I do NOT own the Green Lanterns in ANY way, shape or form.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, Readers! **

**New FF, first one with DC Comics! I wrote most of this a long time ago, but I plan on posting a chapter at a time. Favorite and Follow if you enjoy, and drop a review if you want to! Enjoy!**

**Note: I do NOT own Green Lanterns or DC in ANY way, shape or form.**

**-aggiefrogger**

* * *

**Chosen**

All Sam McDormand wanted to do was enjoy the summer before his Sophomore year of high school, but fate seemed to have a dark sense of humor.

It started with a ring.

That damn ring.

He'd vaguely heard of the Green Lanterns before that day; two members of them, Hal Jordan and John Stewart, helped the Justice League with saving the world the summer previous, but they were nothing more than faces on the news. Even in his small Texas town where nothing interesting happened, they still knew that superheroes existed, even if they never saw them in person, but treated them like a piece of news that didn't affect them. However, he wasn't expecting a green ring to come flying from the sky, into his room through his open window, and hover inches from his face, scaring the shit out of him.

Sam had just gotten back from his friend Jerry's house, and was lying on his bed, listening to his Dad's old cassette player that was older than him. Nowadays, everyone listened to music on their phone, Sam included, but every once in a while, he listed to the old cassette, remembering his Dad's commentary with each song. If he listened carefully, he could almost hear his dad reciting the name of the band, the name of the song, and the year it came out as the first few bars played.

_That's_ when the glowing green ring flew through the window, stopping in front of his face as he yelled a word that caused his mother to yell from the kitchen.

"SAMUEL MCDORMAND," she screeched, and soon heard her footsteps as she walked down the hall towards his room. "I better not have just heard what I thought I-"

She froze in the doorway, her brow still covered with sweat from her ten hour shift at the old folk's home as she stared at the glowing green ring that floated in front of her son. Her mouth dropped open, just like the teen's, and she took a few steps into the room, her eyes transfixed by the glow.

"S-Sam," she started, her voice a little hoarse from the screaming seconds before, "what is that thing?"

"I dunno," he said, turning off the cassette player and putting it in his pocket, staring at it. "I… I think it's a-"

_Samuel McDormand of Earth, Sector 2814_, a voice from the ring said, causing both the mother and son to scream, and the teen fell off his bed. The ring floated after him, still hovering in front of his face. _You have been chosen for the Green Lantern Corps. Report to training immediately._

The two humans stared at the ring, minds reeling from the message. Green Lantern? Training?! _Immediately?!_ The teen looked at his mother fearfully, searching for some sign that she was pranking him. When he found nothing but fear as well, he started to grow even more scared, his heart thumping in his chest.

"M-Mom," he asked, turning back to look at the ring, reaching out a hand to touch it, the light casting his bronze skin in a green glow. "Wha-"

"Sam, don't touch-" his mom started to say.

Suddenly, the ring flew onto his finger, glowing more brightly and encasing the boy in a green aura. The teen yelped, his body tingling as if he was being electrocuted, but he wasn't hurt. He started to breathe heavily as he floated off of the bed, gravitating towards the window.

"MOM," he screamed, reaching out to try and stop himself from flying out the window, holding onto the edges as his legs flew outside.

"SAM," she yelled back, finally moving towards the window, reaching out to grab her son. "HOLD ON, JUST HOLD- _OW!_" She recoiled, holding her hands as if she were burned, and it was at that moment that the teen lost his grip, floating outside into the summer heat.

"MOM," he called again, "CALL THE JUSTICE LEAGUE! CALL-"

And then he shot into the air faster than a plane; faster than a _rocket_. One second, he was a few feet off the ground. The next, he was in space, the Earth floating beneath him and growing smaller with every passing second. Sam screamed, flailing his limbs as the expanse of space spun around him. _Everything_ seemed to spin around him, and it made him feel incredibly dizzy. He felt his vision going dim and he eventually passed out, the last thing he remembered was a green glow filling his vision.

* * *

Sam woke with a gasp, his heart thudding in his chest. For a few seconds, he was disoriented, and fell off the small bed he was lying on, hitting the cold metal floor as he flailed around. Still thinking he was in space, he eventually calmed down, though he breathed heavily as he looked up and stared at the space around him.

He was in a small room, maybe about the size of a college dorm, and it was all made of a shiny silver metal, a single light above him illuminating the space. A large circular symbol was on the wall nearby, but there was no sign of a door anywhere, or even a window. Next to him, a small bed with simple covers stood nearby, and he noticed that it was made of metal as well. This was the only piece of furniture; the rest of the room was bare. But the most surprising change was himself.

The teen was wearing the most bizarre outfit he'd ever seen. It was a full piece skin-tight outfit with long sleeves, protective plating, and heavy boots, and all of it was an emerald green, accented with black and white. Sam, who was used to wearing warm clothes this time of year, was thrown off at first by the long sleeves, but judging by the temperature of the room he was in, it seemed appropriate. On his right ring finger, the green ring glowed brightly, and the boy noticed that it bore the same symbol that was on the wall and on his chest. He vaguely remembered seeing the Green Lanterns from the Justice League wearing a similar outfit, but as he turned his head, he felt something that he hadn't seen Hal Jordan wearing.

It felt like a piece of slim metal, and it encircled the back of his head, ending at each of his ears, which seemed covered by the material. Sam tentatively snapped his fingers by his ears, and was confused that he could still hear normally. However, he started to panic a little when he couldn't take it off; it almost seemed fused to his skin, and the parts over his ears seemed to push into his ears, like he was wearing earbuds. Fortunately, his hair had been cut short to compensate for the Texas heat, so at least it was resting comfortably against his scalp.

"What the hell," he whispered, climbing to his feet as he started to feel the wall, wondering how to get out of here. After searching the whole space for a hidden door and coming up empty, he sat down on his bed, wondering what to do next. He glanced at the ring on his gloved hand, wondering what he should do next. "Got any ideas," he asked it sarcastically.

_Incoming Lantern_, it spoke, giving Sam a start.

"Wait, what does that mean?" He shook his fist slightly, as if trying to shake an answer from it. "What does that mean, 'Incoming-'"

Suddenly, the wall a few feet away slid open, and the boy shielded his eyes from the sudden light, falling back onto his bed.

"Damn," a voice said, "you're a _lot_ smaller than I thought you'd be; even for a human."

Uncovering his eyes, he looked at the doorway to find… nothing. For a second, he looked back at his ring, wondering if it was what had spoken. Suddenly, something small and furry shot from the ground, stopping to hover a few feet away in mid-air, causing the boy to scream.

It looked like a rodent of sorts, like a squirrel or woodchuck; Sam grew up seeing creatures like that, so he was shocked to find one wearing a green outfit identical to his own. He even noticed that it wore a tiny green ring on one if its fingers. Even though it looked like an animal, the teen couldn't help but sense something… _alien_, about the creature, like a cartoon character come to life.

It scowled and crossed its arms, glaring at the boy. "You humans sure are strange; do you usually greet new friends by screaming?"

"N-N-No-o," Sam stammered, sitting up cautiously and staring at the creature with awe. "It's just that… you're a… you're a talking rodent."

"I am NOT A RODENT," the creature screamed, it's body glowing with green energy as it glared at the boy. "I swear, every human I've met thinks that I look like one of your primitive Earth creatures! I'm from _H'lven_, for your information, and frankly, I'm smarter than most humans, including _you!_" The green aura that surrounded the creature made him look quite demented, and the teen immediately backed into the wall, terrified.

"OK, OK!" The boy held up his hands in surrender, scared of how much damage the tiny alien could do. "I'm sorry… I'm still kinda new to this whole, uh…" He gestured to his green outfit, and the rodent nodded, his expression seeming to soften a little.

The creature seemed to calm down, the green glow dulling considerably, and his tone had changed the next moment he spoke. "I understand. I've met some of the other human Lanterns; I was even in the same training group as Hal Jordan, and he was the same way at first. You'll get used to all the other Lanterns in no time. But I'm getting ahead of myself." He held out a tiny paw to the humans. "I heard this is how you humans introduce yourselves. My name is Ch'p."

Sam tentatively shook the small hand, wondering if he was dreaming. "N-Nice to meet you. I'm Sam."

"Interesting name," Ch'p said, floating down to land at the foot of the boy's bed. "But not the weirdest one I've heard here. Basically, I'm here to welcome you to Oa, your home while you're training, and to show you the ropes of the planet."

The boy suddenly started, remembering his small hometown, his house, and his mom. "I can't stay here," he yelped, jumping to his feet and heading towards the open door. "I gotta get home! My mom must be worried out of her mind!"

"You can't just _leave,_" the rodent said indignantly, following him into the hall, which was metallic and long, stretching in both direction. "You've got training to go to; I'm supposed to show you around!"

"But you don't get it," Sam said, turning to look at the creature. "I didn't _ask_ to be here, or to get chosen by this ring. In fact-" He tried to pry the ring off his finger, but it didn't budge. "Why can't I take it off?"

"The ring chose you for a reason," Ch'p said solemnly. "Which means that the Guardians chose you. You can't just _give up_ being a Green Lantern; you now have a sworn duty to protect the universe!"

"But I didn't _ask to_," the teen protested, not caring if he was whining. "Seriously, I don't have any special skills you could want! Obviously, your Guardians made a mistake, so I need to go home, NOW."

The rodent alien sighed, floating into the air to look the human straight in the eye. "We are not chosen for our abilities, Sam. We are chosen for our wills."

Sam gave him a blank stare, thrown off by the change in subject. " … _Wills?_"

"You know, determination? Will power? Drive? You humans may call it passion."

"Uh…"

Ch'p sighed again. "Let me explain." He lifted his fist, and a glowing ball appeared in the air in front of them, suspended in the air above them like a mini green sun. "We Lanterns use our rings to create constructs to help defend and protect the inhabitants of this universe; the stronger you will, the stronger your construct. The only limit to what you can construct is what you can imagine." Suddenly, the ball burst open, fiery lines of green fire that did not burn flew around them in an intricate dance, and Sam couldn't help staring in awe at the construct, wondering if he could do that with his ring.

"It is a great power, but it comes with much responsibility," the rodent alien continued. "That is why it is our sworn duty to use these rings for the good of all life in the universe."

"Wow," the teen whispered, watching the last of the construct dissipate into nothingness. "That… was amazing. But…" He looked down at his feet, a worried expression on his face. "What about my mom? I was kinda… _taken_ from her, when the ring came. She's probably scared and worried out of her mind, and she's already stressed about her job, and-"

"Don't worry," Ch'p promised, holding up his hand as if swearing on his life. "We can help you contact your mother. Maybe one of the human Lanterns could send her a message on your behalf. But again, I'm afraid you can't leave right now, with your training still to come. Even if you _could_, you're several hundred light years from your planet, and don't have the skills to make such a journey alone."

The teen's face blanked, and he leaned against the wall, trying to stomach this new piece of information. He learned about light years in his science class, and if he was hundreds of them away… The full impact of what had happened hit him, and he started to shake, imagining all that space between him and his home, and wondered how long it took him to get here when the ring took him.

Sam felt even worse as he imagined his mom, sitting in their tiny home, thinking about what could have possibly happened to him. Her hands trembling as she wiped her tears, wondering if she'll ever see him again. Wondering how she'd explain his sudden disappearance to the neighbors and family. Remembering what had happened to her husband, Sam's dad, and how he'd gone out one day and-

A few tears streamed down the boy's face; for that was all he really was. A boy. A scared, frightened boy, thousands of miles from home, on another planet, forced to protect something so large, he mind could not comprehend how big it was. And now, separated from his mom, he didn't know what to do.

_Looks like I'm stuck here_, he thought, muffling a few sobs with his arm. _But… the quicker I train, the quicker I can fly home_. Yes, that would be the best decision; the faster he learned how to fly long distances, the faster he would get to see his mom again. After that resolve, he quickly wiped his eyes, a little embarrassed to be crying in front of the floating alien.

"I-I'm sorry," he mumbled, taking a few shaky breaths and drying his face. "I just… wasn't expecting to have to save the universe."

"Well, it's not as dramatic as that," Ch'p said, floating over to the boy with a concerned look on his face. "The universe is split into thousands of sectors, and a Lantern is assigned to each sector to protect it. When a Lantern dies, their ring flies off, searching for its next owner. I… I'm sorry you got chosen, especially since you're so young, but as of now, you are the wielder of the ring."

"So," the teen started, looking at the ring on his finger, "this used to belong to someone else?"

"Not necessarily. There are also more Lanterns than sectors, which is why some Lanterns stay here on Oa, helping train and lead the other Lanterns should a problem arise. Though of course, some sectors have paired up Lanterns, and others have Lanterns that take turns protecting it. But as for your ring," the alien added, bowing his head slightly and getting back on subject, "it was Swet'llanga's of Sector 348. She was a great Lantern; well respected around here."

The boy stared at the ring on his finger, which suddenly felt like it weighed a ton. He didn't know anything about the previous owner, but based on the Lantern's expression, they must've been close friends. _Was this the reason why he was showing him the ropes_, Sam wondered, trying to push past the though of him possibly dying or having to fill the shoes of someone so respected. "I'm sorry for your loss," Sam muttered.

"T-Thanks," Ch'p stammered, seeming to pull himself together. "Lanterns come and go, but every Lantern is one of the greats. You're now the owner of that ring, which means you'll join the greats someday. C'mon, I'm supposed to get you something to eat before you go to training."

The teen didn't even realize he was hungry, but at the mention of food, his stomach grumbled. "Thanks," he said gratefully.

"Then follow me," the Lantern said, flying off down the hallway, Sam on his heels as he waited unexpectedly for what was to come.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! Favorite and Follow for more, and feel free to leave a review!**

**See y'all later!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Flying and Bad First Impressions**

"So my ring said that I had to come here for training. Are you gonna train me," Sam asked the rodent-like Lantern.

"Oh no! I'm just here to show you around, then I have to go back to my own sector. No, Kilowog's the one that trains all the new recruits; he trained me, _and_ all your Earth Lanterns."

"Cool," the teen said, looking around the hallway as they walked. Well… _he_ walked; Ch'p floated, his small legs not long enough to keep up with Sam's long strides. "This place sure has a lot of hallways."

"Oh, you're about to get your first view of Oa out here," the Lantern said, stopping in front of a wall and pressing his ring against it. The green symbol Sam saw earlier (he assumed it was the Green Lantern insignia) lit up the wall, and a door slid open, and the boy's mouth dropped open at the view of the other side.

On the other side of the wall was a large outdoor area, which spread out around them enough to cover several football fields. In the distance, tall futuristic towers rose into the sky, which was an inky black, and covered with stars; it appeared that there was no atmosphere on the planet, but Sam was still able to breathe. The only color besides the silver of the metal was an emerald green, which accented the buildings, walkways, and tinted all the lights that shone from every angle. Looking up, the human saw several creatures flying around, all of them wearing similar green outfits to him and Ch'p. It was bizarre, seeing so many different aliens, but for some reason, he didn't freak out like he thought he would. Yes, he was nervous, but it reminded him of those Comic Conventions he saw on the internet and always wanted to go to. In a way, this was better than those costumed characters. This was real.

"How many of them speak English," he wondered staring up at a pair of Lanterns that resembled large insects fly overhead.

"Probably very few, but even _I_ don't speak your language," the rodent said. "The rings come with a universal translator, so you'll hear everyone speaking in your own native language."

Sam turned to the small Lantern, surprised by this revelation. "So, this whole time you've been speaking-"

"H'lvenian, the language of my planet, but you perceive it as English, I think you called it. And _I've_ heard you speaking H'lvenian this whole time, but you're speaking your own language."

"Woah," the boy muttered, wondering what H'lvenian sounded like. "So… do you know what this thing is?" He indicated to the metal band around his head and ears, but Ch'p looked just as confused as he did as he quickly floated behind the boy's head to inspect it.

"I'm… not sure. Sometimes, certain Lanterns have a different uniform from the masses, but they're pretty rare. I'm not sure what the purpose of that is, but whatever it is, it's probably meant to help you fight. All our uniforms are subconsciously designed to help us have the advantage in battle"

"Oh… OK. What happened to my other clothes?"

"You're still wearing them underneath your uniform."

"Really? I don't even feel them."

"That's the ring's doing. Eventually, you'll want to take your uniform off to remove your civilian clothes, but you're good for the moment, since it's your first day. Now," he said, clapping his paws together and turning towards Sam with an excited expression. "This is the fun part. We get to fly now!"

"F-F-Fly?" Immediately, visions of him spinning out of control in mid-air or falling thousands of feet to the ground danced through the teen's mind, and he grew nervous. "I… I dunno if I can do that-"

"C'mon, you'll be great! Every Lantern can fly, and the ring alters our biology so that we can withstand tremendous amounts of pain and stress without breaking. You could fall from orbit and survive!"

"Really?"

"Hey, it happened to me. Besides, it was fun!"

"Oh… OK. How do I, uh-"

"Well, it's kinda different from everyone, but just focus on slowly lifting into the air, like you're in space and gravity doesn't work. Remember, your powers are derived from your will, so just will yourself to fly, and you should be fine!"

"O-Okay," Sam said nervously.

"Hey, if it helps you feel better," Ch'p said, and held up his fist, his ring glowing. A long green rope materialized out of thin air, one end tied around Sam's waist, the other in the alien's tiny paws. "So you don't go flying off uncontrollably."

"Thanks, but won't I just pull you into the air?"

The alien rolled his eyes. "Please! I can withstand the gravity of a star; you'll be like a feather in the wind!"

Nodding anxiously, the teen turned his attention back towards the sky. He'd seen Superman fly on TV, and wondered if he should put his arms out. He wondered if he could even make it into the air, but if all these other Lanterns could do it, so could he; what's the worst that could happen? Cautiously, he imagined himself floating into the air, just a foot or so, and concentrated.

Immediately, he shot into the air like a rocket, flying several hundred feet straight up, nearly hitting a disgruntled Lantern as the rope trailed beneath him.

"Stop, stop, STOP," he screamed desperately, trying to stop moving up, but all he did was slow down. It was just like when he was flying uncontrollably, and he screamed, trying to stop. Finally, he put all of his focus on stopping in midair and jerked to a halt, now five hundred or so feet above the ground.

"SHIT," he yelled, looking down at the ground far below, the rope dangling beneath him like he was some sort of balloon; he appeared to be floating, but at least he wasn't moving. Distantly, he could see the small Lantern on the ground looking up at him, but he couldn't hear the creature. Around him, some passing aliens gave him some odd glances, and he tried to avoid their gaze, trying to calm down enough so he could focus on somehow getting back to the ground safely. He knew that Ch'p said he wouldn't get hurt if he fell, but that guy was a pro; he probably built up some immunity to pain, while Sam was still new at it. It wasn't until a few minutes later that he could even focus on _trying_ to get down.

"OK, Sam," he muttered to himself, starting to get used to floating in mid-air. "You can't stay up here forever; you can do this. You… you can do this. There's nothing to be scared of. Do it for Mama; you're gonna have to know how to fly in order to get home." He looked down at the ground, deciding to use the rope as a sort of route to follow. It still took him a few more minutes to build up the courage to try to control his descent. Breathing deeply, he focused all his energy on floating down to the ground.

To his relief, he started floating towards the ground at a slow pace, the rope shortening as he got closer to the ground. He gave a cry of relief as he controlled his descent, making himself move around in circles as he floated down. It wasn't that hard when he didn't overthink it too hard; on the contrary, it almost seemed as natural as walking. By the time he landed, he was smiling, though still a little shaken.

"You good," Ch'p asked, the rope disappearing from view.

"Definitely! Once you get over the fear, it's pretty easy, I think." Sam floated into the air, flew quickly around the rodent alien, then landed, a little roughly, back on the ground. "Woah! I didn't think that would work!" _Guess I gotta fake it 'till I make it_, he thought to himself. _But I'm still far from flying long distances._

"Good," the Lantern chuckled, smiling a little. "You're still a little shaky with your form, but you'll get the hang of it soon enough. Follow me!" They shot into the air, the human following the alien towards breakfast.

Ch'p was right about his form; even though he managed to follow the alien, he wasn't as fast (the alien hung back to stay with him), and he wobbled a bit as he flew. He also drifted in his turns (if it was possible to drift while flying), and nearly knocked over a group of Lanterns conversing in mid air. As he flew, he got a better view of the planet. It seemed that the towers of silver metal and white stone populated most of the planet, and he didn't see any vegetation anywhere. Again, the only green was the Lanterns, the lights, and some round structures that dotted the ground. It was that round Green Lantern logo, and they seemed to decorate most of the outdoor areas. Even though he didn't want to be here, he couldn't help but marvel at the alien planet around him.

"How many Lanterns are there," Sam asked, following the alien towards a tall building.

"Maybe close to 7200," Ch'p replied. "Sometimes it's more, sometimes it's less, but usually, we try to fill any empty spots in the Corps, since there are many sectors to protect; some sectors have more than one Lantern guarding it."

"How long have you been a Lantern?"

"About six of your human years."

"How about-"

"Aren't you a curious one," a voice asked, and Sam dipped in his flying a little as another alien appeared at his left shoulder. It looked humanoid, but it had orange skin, a fish-like fin on his head, pointed ears, and a birds beak for a mouth. "You seem pretty young to be a Lantern."

"I-I… I guess so," the teen stammered, a bit thrown off by the creature's appearance. Is there an age limit to getting chosen?"

"If there is, you're certainly pushing it."

"Sam, this is Tomar-Tu," the rodent alien said. "Green Lantern of Sector 2813, the sector next to Earth's."

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance," it said in a light, pleasant voice. For some reason, it had a bit of a British accent, in the boy's opinion, though he didn't know why; maybe his translator had a sense of humor, or translated certain languages as certain dialects. "You must be Swet'llanga's replacement."

"Y-Yeah," Sam said nervously.

"Don't worry; you'll most likely be a great Lantern someday. One good thing about you being so young is that you are like clay; easily shaped and strong-willed. We need more recruits like you."

"Uh, thanks?"

"You're welcome," Tomar answered brightly.

"Are you going to eat as well," Ch'p asked.

"Maybe later. I have to charge my ring, and I need to get back to my Sector soon. Good day to you both." And with that, he flew away.

"You'll charge you ring later today," the alien explained, noticing the boy's confused expression. "Come on; I'm starving!"

* * *

The alien showed Sam every part of the planet, which was pretty big, about the size of Earth, but easy to traverse when you could fly. The buildings were beautiful, and the sky, a brilliant blue and pink, had stars visible, even during the daytime. There were many places to see: the Foundry, where they charged their rings (apparently, you needed to charge your ring every now and then), the Hall of Great Service, which was like a library, the Hazard Simulation Facility and training fields, where his training would take place, and the Memorial Hall, which was there to commemorate fallen Lanterns.

Eventually, they entered one of the towers, landing in an open hallway that looked almost identical to the one he first saw. It was shorter, and led to a large open mess hall that was full of Green Lanterns of every species, sitting at long tables and eating a large variety of food. Ch'p showed him how to get food, and Sam learned that thanks to the other Earth Lanterns, they had human food available, so he was soon chomping down on a burger and fries. The rodent alien ate some sort of leafy substance, but it was a bright blue and covered with red sauce. His drink was green and clear, and bubbled slightly, like the boy's soda. The teen wanted to ask what it was, but he figured it would be rude. Around them, aliens ate their food, talking among themselves.

_But technically_, Sam thought, chewing the meat thoughtfully, _**I'm **__an alien too, now, since I'm from another planet_. It was interesting, thinking about it from that angle, but it was also pretty weird. Superman was technically an alien, so this must be how he felt all the time.

A few tables away, Guy Gardner sat with Hal Jordan, who both looked at the new rookie, who was human like them. Their rings glowed, altering their appearance so the kid didn't recognize them as humans, and they watched the tawny boy talking with the small Lantern, taking a bite of his food while he listened to his response. While they were glad that another human had joined the ranks of the Green Lanterns, proving that their species was strong enough to wield rings (most alien species still found humans weak and irresponsible), they were upset about one thing.

"He just a _kid,_" Guy said angrily, his green leather jacket rustling as he stabbed the salad lettuce with his fork. "What is he; 15? 16?"

"Fifteen," Hal answered, too distracted by his thoughts to eat. When he heard about the new human rookie, he'd asked to be the one to show him around, but was denied. Now, though, he was glad he wasn't showing the kid around; he probably wouldn't have handled the age issue with grace. "Imagine being chosen at that age. Taken from his family, his friends, school; I'm surprised he's taking it so well. I don't know how you handled it, getting chosen, but I was terrified and scared out of my mind."

"Yeah," Guy said soberly, chewing his salad noisily, to Hal's chagrin. "Whichever Guardian decided that a minor should be a Green Lantern deserves a pounding! I'm gonna contact the Justice League… ask them to go talk to his mom and explain the situation. Imagine her response when she learns her son's been drafted to an intergalactic police force." The man got a mental picture of an anguished woman, but he quickly blocked it from his mind.

"I agree, but there's nothing we can do about it now; he has to train and become a Lantern. At least Kilowog's training him." The man grinned, reminiscing at the memories. "Remember those days?"

"Yeah," the other man chuckled. "We thought that he was gonna kill us a bunch of times, but it was all worth it in the end. Think the kid'll be fine?"

"With that big softie," Hal asked, finally turning towards his plate to eat some of his burrito. "They'll be best friends in no time!"

* * *

Sam hated his drill instructor, Kilowog. Well, hate seemed _too_ strong a word after only one day, but he strongly disliked the guy.

After finishing their lunch, Ch'p had showed him how to open the door to his room, how to ask his ring for help with basic questions like directions around Oa, and showed him the giant glowing symbol where he charged his ring. His head swimming with all of this new information, the rodent alien dropped him off at a large open area where several other new recruits were waiting, all of them wearing Green Lantern uniforms.

None of them were human, but they all looked just as nervous as Sam did. One of them looked human, but was tall, had albino skin, and had bright red hair that seemed unnaturally bright and waved around him, even though there was no wind. Another one was about half of the teen's height, covered with spiky purple hair, and had two pairs of arms. There was a set of twin aliens, both of them conjoined at the back, and they had sharp teeth and long tongues. And finally, there was a quiet, unassuming alien with bright yellow skin, yellow eyes, and an expression that told others to back off. While she stood a few feet away, silent and brooding, the others chatted among themselves.

"How old are you," the hairy purple one asked Sam.

"Fifteen."

"Is that old," one of the twins whispered to the other, who simply shrugged in reply to her brother's question.

"It's pretty young," Sam answered, holding up his ring as he tried to look strong, "but I can handle the Corp." Nearby, the yellow alien rolled her solid blue eyes.

"What do you know about this training officer," the red-haired one asked the other twin.

"Not much; supposedly, he's a nice guy, but super tough," the other twin answered, swiveling her head towards the alien. "I also heard that he's the last of his species, and that the rest of them and his home world were destroyed some time ago."

"How'd that happen," Sam asked, not being able to imagine a whole race of living beings, or even a planet, being wiped out and destroyed.

"I dunno, but I bet-"

"LOOK ALIVE, POOZERS!"

The loud, deep voice caused them all to start; even the yellow-skinned lady jumped as well, spinning around to the source of the voice. Sam and the others took a step back as the biggest alien the human had seen so far landed a few feet in front of them, the ground trembling a little.

"Holy sh-"

A green construct covered the teen's mouth, cutting off his yell of surprise, and the boy quickly tried to pry it off to no avail. Glancing around, he noticed that it was coming from the drill instructor, who was now staring at the boy with an annoyed expression.

The alien was well over eight feet tall; Sam's head would probably reach the creature's waist, and it was built like a Pro Wrestler or weight lifter, judging by the muscles that covered its body. It had light pink skin, a large jaw with two teeth poking out from the bottom and two hippo-like ears. His solid red eyes narrowed at the teen, who immediately stopped trying to remove the mouth construct. Ch'p had explained that their power rings made them physically stronger, but based on this guy's intimidating appearance, Sam figured the alien didn't need a ring to break him like a candy bar.

"You gonna greet your superior with respect this time," the alien asked, holding up his fist so the ring glowed brightly in the boy's eyes. The teen nodded, and the construct fell away, allowing the boy to breathe deeply as a flush of embarrassment appeared on his face. The other new recruits remained silent, even straightening up a little so they wouldn't get yelled at. "Fall in line with Mr. Mouth here," the alien barked, and the rookies quickly lined up on either side of the boy. The drill sergeant walked up and down the line, peering intently at each creature with a disdainful look.

"You all look like the most useless, pathetic, sorry excuses of future Lanterns that I have ever seen! I have half a mind to ask the Guardians if they made a mistake and send you all packing!" The alien's voice boomed around them, and they all flinched, even the surly female from earlier.

He crossed his arms, glaring at the group in front of him. "Welcome to hell, Poozers! My name's Kilowog, and I'm gonna be your Combat Training Officer. It's my job to push you past your limits, break you into pieces, and build you into Green Lanterns. Anyone gotta problem with that," he demanded, looking at each of them in turn.

"What about you, Mr. Mouth," he asked Sam, leaning forward and bringing his face close to the boy's, who did his best not to flinch or back away. "You got a problem with me trainin' you?"

"N-N-No s-sir," Sam squeaked.

"_Louder!"_

"N-No sir," the teen said louder, trying not to shake with fear as Kilowog straightened up and stepped back.

"That's better. This goes for all of you; you treat every Green Lantern with respect, because they've _earned_ it! Understand?"

"YES SIR," they all chorused.

The alien smirked, pleased by the response. "Maybe there _is_ hope for you Poozers. Now," he added, holding up his fist, his ring glowing brightly, "let's see what you're made of, and if your wills are strong enough for the Corp."

After that followed a grueling two hour session of trying to stay alive. First, they were each instructed to attack Kilowog one by one with whatever construct they could muster. Each alien tried a different tactic, but the large drill sergeant was able to stop all of them, even swatting aside the giant piano Sam managed to construct like it was a fly. After several tries from each alien, the tables were turned when the Green Lantern attacked them one by one, and they had to defend themselves. But no matter how many shields the Rookies threw up, he just broke through them like they were paper, sending the new recruits tumbling to the ground. It was obvious to the human that the drill sergeant was acting just like those war generals from movies, but it didn't make the sting of getting whacked upside the head or the yelling in his ears less painful; maybe that stereotype existed for a reason.

"Your constructs are only as strong as your wills," the large alien commented as Sam climbed to his feet, his arm sore from being swung around and thrown like a Frisbee. "It looks like you all have weak wills!"

The only exception was the quiet, sullen yellow alien from before. She managed to have a shield strong enough to keep the trainer out. For a short while. Eventually, he broke through her shield, knocking her to the ground with a large fist construct.

"Not bad," he grumbled, reaching out his hand to help her out. Tentatively taking it, he punched her in the face with his free hand, knocking her back down as the others gasped. She lay on the ground, stunned, but otherwise unhurt.

"You have great promise," Kilowog said, standing over her, "but the enemy will never play fair, so you must be ready for _anything_. Focus your will, and you could stop asteroids as they fly at the speed of light.

"The rest of you, however," he continued, turning to the rest of the group, "have PATHETIC wills!" The shout caused them all to jump, and Sam wondered if he would ever get used to that, a little annoyed from the past hour or so of yelling and getting punched repeatedly. "Green Lanterns are supposed to have the strongest wills in the universe, and _none_ of you even have the will to keep me out? Tell me," he said sarcastically, glaring at each group member in turn, "what do you have that I don't, 'cause maybe you should use _that_ instead of your weak wills to try and beat me!"

"A thriving planet and a species that hasn't been wiped out," Sam asked, just as sarcastic as the alien.

Immediately, he realized he had said that thought out loud, though he didn't mean to, and his heart immediately leaped to his throat. A sharp intake of breath echoed around him from the other rookies, and Kilowog's face seemed to drain of color, his eyes widening as a look of shock crossed his face. Even the sullen woman on the ground looked shocked, staring at Sam as if he'd lost his mind.

_… Shit_, the teen thought, starting to tremble as the impact of what he'd said hit his mind like a truck, and he was surprised he didn't just turn to ash under the drill sergeant's gaze. Then, he felt like he _would_ turn to dust when the pink alien's red eyes narrowed, his face filling with rage.

"Care to repeat that, _Sam_," Kilowog asked, his voice deadly quiet, though loud in the silence around them. The boy started, surprised that the trainer knew his name, but it only scared him even more, like a teacher chewing out a student at school or a parent chastising their child.

"I-I," the boy stammered, struggling to even speak, to even _try_ and explain why he said what he'd said. "I… I-I-"

He was so focused on the Lantern's face, he didn't even notice the large pink fist flying upwards, feeling it when it connected with his jaw. His head flew back and up, and the impact lifted him off the ground, literally sending him flying (and flipping) through the air, where he landed painfully on his back a few feet away.

Sam cried out in pain, feeling some of the air leave his lungs as his jaw started to swell. It's surprised him that his neck wasn't broken, and he was about to sit up when the alien landed right in front of him, the ground shaking slightly from the impact.

"YOU THINK THAT WAS FUNNY," Kilowg yelled, his voice echoing loudly as a green glow surrounded his large figure, emitting heat like an oven. "DO YOU THINK I'M GONNA ALLOW SUCH A SMART-ASS RESPONSE FROM A PATHETIC POOZER LIKE YOU?!"

"I-I-I," the teen said, trying to sit up, but a green construct materialized the human, holding him down.

"Picture this, Poozer," the pink alien snarled, holding up his glowing ring.

Suddenly, the whole sky around them was full of hundreds of green constructs, blocking out the stars and the sky above them. It appeared to be a whole army or armada of alien ships, and on the ground around them appeared a faceless army, surrounding the small group of Lanterns. The human, along with the other rookies, couldn't help but stare in awe at the sheer number and detail of the constructs. It became apparent to all of them why Kilowog was their trainer, and for a second, they forgot that Sam was in trouble, focused on the amazing display of willpower.

"Your _Justice League_ and your human Lanterns are gone, no other Lantern is nearby, and you're the only protector of Earth until help comes. An enemy army shows up to annihilate you and your entire race." The Lantern's voice was firm, though it seemed to waver ever so slightly. He narrowed his eyes at the boy. "Can you stop them _and_ save your planet from destruction?"

Staring up at the ships and the army around him, Sam felt a new thrill of fear at the sight around him. He could only imagine what would happen if an army as big as this showed up in Earth's atmosphere, and how the humans would react, how his mom would react. And if the Justice League wasn't there, then the Earth didn't stand a chance.

_I could create a shield around the planet_, Sam thought wildly.

_Yeah, right. Like you could somehow create a construct large __**and**__ strong enough to keep the aliens out. Especially one as angry as Kilowog._

"Well," Kilowog demanded, still glaring at the boy. "_Can't_ you?"

The green construct army raised their guns, pointing them at the teen, and the ships above them started to prime their cannons, a whining sound filling the air.

"S-Stop," Sam stammered.

"What did you say," the alien said, putting a hand to his ear and pretending not to hear the boy.

"I said STOP," the teen yelled, trying to break out of the constraints. "You've made your point!"

"Oh really? Have I?"

Suddenly, all the guns fired at once, green beams heading straight towards the boy, who screamed and closed his eyes. When the expected sting didn't appear, he cautiously opened his eyes, staring at the floating green beams that hovered inches from his body, obstructing his view of the rest of the group. For a few seconds, he stared at them, his beating heart starting to slow down, and then they all faded away, along with the army and the ships, leaving the teen staring at the training officer. The other Rookies stared at him with a mixture of fear and relief at not having been called out.

"Let this be a lesson for you all," Kilowog said firmly, turning away from the human, as if disgusted. "If you talk shit, you better be able to back up what you say; don't be a dumb-ass and let your mouth get you into trouble. Until you can talk the talk, you better shut the hell up and treat others with respect! Dismissed!" And with that, he flew away, leaving the group of Rookies behind him.

* * *

Now, as he sat in his room, the glowing green ring floating near his jaw and healing it (Ch'p mentioned rings could do that, so the teen asked it to help, and it did), Sam thought back to what had happened. It was embarrassing, being humiliated like that, but he deserved it. He shouldn't have mentioned the guy's whole planet and species being wiped out, and was glad he just got off with a broken jaw and a damaged pride; not to mention a target on his back. But even after getting rightfully disciplined, he still didn't like Kilowog. The guy seemed _too_ tough, and his methods of beating the rookies down sure didn't _seem_ like training. Wasn't this supposed to be like an intergalactic police force, not the army?

Sam sighed, his jaw starting to feel a lot better as the ring put out a healing aura to fix his chin. "Some mess I've gotten pulled into," he muttered to himself, wishing he was back at home, or anywhere else besides Oa, really.

As he sat there, he looked down at his outfit, wishing to see his civilian clothes again, and remembering that Ch'p said he could make the clothes disappear. Sure enough, the green outfit faded away, leaving him in his shorts and t-shirt. Though he was happy to see his clothes again, they looked almost out of place in his futuristic room, and he ran his hand over the soft material of his basketball shorts, stopping when he felt a lump in his pocket. Reaching in, he pulled out his dad's cassette player, which still had its tape in it.

Sam stared at the device for a few minutes, wondering what his dad would have done or how he would have reacted if he were still alive to his son being drafted to the Green Lantern Corp. He pressed play, and the sound of Elton John's _Tiny Dancer_ filled the small space, instantly making the teen feel better. He lay down on his bed, continuing to let the Ring heal his jaw as he listened to the music, still feeling homesick, but now less so.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in Texas, Mrs. McDormand was a wreck.

After the death of her husband, she'd turned to her son as her pride and joy, focusing all her attention on making sure he had a happy life. Now, he was gone, taken by some strange glowing ring, and she wasn't sure if she'd ever see him again. He had told her to call someone before he was taken, but she couldn't remember the name.

She sat on the couch, her eyes red from crying as she tried to figure out what to do. No one had seen him disappear, and she would probably get called crazy if she told her neighbors or work bosses that her son was no longer on Earth. It was just as worse than when Bill died; at least she knew _where_ he was when he left her forever. Now, her son was somewhere, probably hurt and trying to get back to her.

Suddenly, a knock at the door startled her from her stupor. Wiping her eyes, she went to answer the door, wondering if it was Sharon or some other neighbor wondering where she or Sam was. To her surprise, two strangers, a man and a woman in long coats, stood on the front step.

"Mrs. McDormand," the woman asked, her raven hair falling behind her shoulders.

"Y-Yes," the scared woman answered; were they looking for Sam? Perhaps from his school?

"No, ma'am," the man said, startling the woman as he answered the questions in her mind. "We are not looking for Sam. In fact, we are here to tell you where he is."

After getting over her shock, she stared at the two strangers. "Who… who are you?"

The woman smiled, pulling up her sleeves to reveal two golden bands that gleamed under the porch light. Below one of them was bracelet with a certain symbol that the Texan recognized.

Mrs. McDormand looked up, recognition crossing her face. "You're-"

"May we come in," Martian Manhunter asked, his skin turning green as his hair shot back into his head as Wonder Woman hid her golden cuffs underneath her coat. "There's… much we need to explain."

* * *

**That's it for this chapter!**

**Hope you enjoyed the little Justice League cameo at the end! More DC characters (good AND bad) will be appearing in this story besides the Green Lanterns.**

**Favorite and follow, and feel free to leave a review! Have a great day!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold (Especially Since Oa Doesn't Have Any Microwaves)**

"How was training," Ch'p asked, floating over with his tray of some sort of plant-based food and sitting across from the teen.

Sam, who was still healing from the broken jaw, simply looked back at his tray, picking at the piece of pizza that sat there.

"That bad, huh?"

"Yep," the boy replied, finally picking up the pizza and taking a bite out of it. It was delicious, a lot better than the frozen pizza he and his mom could afford to buy, but it did little to block out the thoughts of that day earlier. "I got called out by the trainer guy, Kilowog, after accidentally insulting him and he broke my jaw."

The squirrel-like alien laughed. "Is that all? He does that to _everybody!_ You're not special!" The alien shook his head. "You humans sure are self-centered, are you?"

"It's not a self-centered thing; if anything, I don't _want_ him singling me out! Besides, it just seemed like he was picking on me because I'm the youngest," Sam muttered, taking another bite of his pizza.

"Maybe just today, but you can't expect to be the butt of ridicule and beat downs every day. This is just your first day; of _course_ it's gonna be a little rough!"

"Well if everyday's like this one, then maybe-"

"Maybe you should say hello to someone who might be able to help," a voice said, and the two beings turned to look at the person who just joined their table, and it was someone Sam recognized. Hal Jordan, the first human Green Lantern, and member of the Justice League. "May I sit down?"

"S-Sure," the teen sputtered, gawking at the superhero as he sat down next to him. Sure, this guy was a Green Lantern, but so was everyone else on Oa; but on Earth, Hal was a hero, a beacon of hope and inspiration for humans across the globe. The man had chestnut brown hair, and blue eyes, though whenever he wore a mask, his eyes became a solid white, like a cartoon character. Sam wondered if he should wear a mask, but he figured Hal only wore it to protect his identity or something.

"So," the hero said, pouring some ranch onto his salad, "you're the newest human recruit, right?"

"Yeah," Sam nodded.

"I know it's probably tough, being on a new planet and the environment/culture radically changing around you, I want you to know I'd be happy to help you whenever I can. I'm on Oa for a day before I have to go back to my Sector, but I should be coming back every once in a while, and would be happy to talk if you need someone to talk to."

"Thanks," the teen replied, smiling a little.

"And me too," Ch'p added, drawing the attention back to him. "I'd be happy to help as well."

Hal chuckled. "I know that, Ch'p, but sometimes you need someone from your own species to talk to, and it was either me or Guy."

"That's pretty smart." Sam had heard that Guy had an... _interesting_ personality, and was secretly relieved that Hal had shown up.

"So Sam," Hal continued, turning back to the kid, "how're you holding up so far?"

"OK," the boy replied, avoiding the man's gaze. "Ch'p showed me around and told me about the planet, the Corp, ring stuff, and taught me to fly. I had training earlier today, and-"

"HAL JORDAN!"

Looking up, the boy's face blanked when he saw the familiar figure of Kilowog walking towards them, a large tray of food in his hands and a huge grin on his face. Then, to his further surprise, Hal smiled widely, getting up from his chair to greet the alien.

"Kilowog, my man! Long time no see!"

"So you finally come to visit, and you don't tell me," the pink alien demanded, snorting indignantly while Sam shrank in his seat, trying not to draw any attention to himself. "Typical Poozer." Sam noted he called Hal by that name, but the teen could tell that it was almost friendly by the tone. The alien was acting so differently from the trainer he'd seen hours before, the teen wondered if he was hallucinating; what did they put in the food here?

"Aw, don't be like that," the man said jokingly. "I still have _some_ time to fill you in on my misadventures in Sector 2814, so why don't you join us? I was just asking Sam here about his first day on Oa," he added, indicating to the small human who jumped at the mention of his name.

Cautiously glancing over, Sam saw the drill sergeant's eyes narrow slightly at him, probably still miffed about the kid's comment from earlier, but he quickly brightened, saying, "_Great_ idea, Hal! I think I will." He stomped over to the other side of the table, plopping down next to Ch'p, sitting diagonally across from the teen. Hal sat down as well, turning expectantly towards the teen.

"You were saying?"

"Wha- … o-o-oh, yeah," the teen muttered, trying not to look at the combat training officer, who started chewing some sort of meat, staring at him intently as he waited for his answer. "Well… Ch'p showed me around-"

"You already said that," the small furry alien piped up. "Get to the part with your training!"

"Yeah," Kilowog said seriously, all traces of the drill sergeant-ness from before gone, replaced with a mildly interested demeanor, which was somehow scarier. "Get ta that part. Did I do a good job, in your opinion?"

Sam's hand unconsciously jumped to his jaw, but he quickly brought it back down before anyone else could notice (though he believed Kilowog noticed), looking down at his tray. "Y-Yeah, you did a pretty good job. Really… really got our blood pumping." He shot a quick glance at Kilowog, seeing if he'd said the wrong thing, but the alien's face betrayed nothing. "It-It was p-pretty cool, though, seeing other species for the first time. There was this set of conjoined twins that shared one ring, which I thought was pretty cool. And this other woman-"

"Seemed pretty focused on the other Poozers," Kilowog commented, taking another bite of his grey meat. "Didn't you get _anything_ out of the training exercise?" The way he said it implied that Sam wasn't paying attention, or that he was only interested in the other Rookies, and that infuriated the boy.

A brief memory of the construct of the whole armada flashed in Sam's mind, but he kept his face steady as his heart beat furiously, still angry at being humiliated like that. Suddenly, an idea came to him, and his body relaxed, though his fist clenched underneath the table. It was probably a stupid idea, based on what had happened earlier, but he needed to show the guy that he wasn't gonna be pushed around, and that he was strong enough to be a Green Lantern someday. Besides, he figured he needed to start somewhere with construct making.

"Well," he said smiling, staring down the large alien, "I _do_ remember that one important lesson you mentioned near the end of the lesson."

"And what was that," the trainer demanded, chewing the meat.

"It was something about the enemy never playing fair, and I agree. I'll make sure to keep that in mind." The teen took a sip of his drink, flexing the hand that was underneath the table at the same time. With that, Kilowog's tray suddenly flipped upward in one quick motion, hitting the alien in the face and knocking him off his chair, sending him crashing to the floor.

Ch'p got knocked backwards by one of the sergeant's flailing arms, Hal stood up quickly to see if he was okay, and Sam picked up his pizza, innocently taking a bite of it, though pretending to look confused and concerned as well. Several Lanterns at the nearby tables started and turned to see what had happened, a few of them stifling laughs. The teen was surprised his plan actually worked, but his interior celebration was cut short by an enraged roar from Kilowog.

"WHO DID THAT?!" The pink alien climbed to his feet, covered with bits of meat, some sort of sauce, and bits of leafy greens. His face was full of rage (as well as more of the sauce), and he was breathing heavily as he looked around him; everyone quickly turned back to their own trays, pretending not to have heard him. Ch'p climbed to his feet, dazed, and Sam swallowed his bite of pizza, watching the scene unfold.

Hal cut in. "Kilowog, what hap-"

"Someone flipped my tray," he replied angrily, flicking some pieces of food off his uniform. "When I find out who it is I'll-" He cut off, noticing the teen sitting nearby, still eating his pizza and watching the situation with a mild fascination. "_YOU_," he growled, his eyes narrowing as Hal and Ch'p also glanced at the boy. "_You_ did this!"

"What," Sam asked innocently, looking up at the drill sergeant, pizza still in hand. "What makes you think I did it, Sir? I mean, I've been here less than 24 hours, and you saw how I was in training today; do I look like I have the skill or, as you put it earlier, the _will_ to do something like that? If anything, it was probably a more seasoned Lantern," he added, gesturing to the nearby aliens, who'd quickly looked away to avoid Kilowog's right hook. "Besides, you all saw me taking a sip of my water when it happened."

"With your left hand," Kilowog cut in.

"So?"

"Your ring chooses your dominant hand, which happened to be out of view when my tray flipped on its own accord."

"I'm Ambidextrous," the boy countered, holding up both hands for all to see. "I can use each hand equally, so I don't _have_ a dominant hand. The ring's on my right hand because that's the hand I happened to put it on when it came to me. And even though hand wasn't visible, that doesn't prove _I_ did it. I know this isn't Earth, but I assume you still need evidence to convict somebody. Right, S_ir?_"

The stress on the final word was hard to miss, but it was the look in the teen's eyes that made Hal and Ch'p realize that the kid _had_ flipped the tray. But Sam was right; without concrete evidence or an eyewitness, they couldn't accuse him of anything. Hal looked at the kid, who was staring at Kilowog defiantly, wondering why he seemed to almost resent the Bolovaxian, and Ch'p started to realize that whatever Kilowog must've done during the training session must've ticked the teen off more than he let on.

Kilowog, however, continued to huff, bits of sauce dripping down his forehead and chin as he glared at the teenager, who stared smugly back at him. They both knew that Sam was lying about his innocence, but there was no way the boy would talk, and Kilowog couldn't make him. Without another word, Kilowog used his ring to pick up the fallen food and tray, giving the kid one last dirty look before stomping towards the tray drop-off, several Lanterns scrambling out of his way.

Ch'p and Hal turned towards the boy, who was finishing his pizza. "Did you-"

"I'll never tell," Sam said mysteriously, taking another sip of his water.

"You should know that fighting and being petty isn't allowed on Oa," Ch'p said angrily, his arms crossed. "And the punishment for those that are caught are far more severe than those on Earth."

"Good thing it wasn't me, then." Sam finally finished his meal, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "It was nice to meet you, Hal Jordan," he added, shaking the man's hand. "And if you're ever back on Oa, I'll make sure to say hi."

" … Thanks," Hal said as the kid turned to leave. "Wait!"

"Hm?"

"Uh… I got something for you," he said, taking out a small black device and tossing it to the boy. "Batman and I rigged it up a while ago for when he needed to call me or another human Lantern to Earth. You can use that to text your mom; I assume you have her phone number?" Sam nodded, staring at the small machine. "It has a limit on how many words you can use, so make sure you say everything you want to say before you run out, and don't text too often. Remember, this isn't summer camp; this is the Green Lantern Corp, and training should be your top priority."

"I… I will." Sam looked up at the Green Lantern, a big smile on his face. "Thanks!" And then he left, taking his tray towards the drop-off.

"You know he did it, right," Ch'p demanded, turning towards the human Lantern.

"Yeah, I do."

"Are you gonna turn him in, lie and say you saw him do it?"

"No. No major harm was done. Besides, it makes sense that he would snap like that; he's young, misses his mom, and just had his first training session with Kilowog. Let's be glad that he didn't flip the whole table!"

The furry alien nodded, turning back to where the teen was sitting. "You humans… are pretty emotional at that age, are you?"

"Yep," Hal said simply, sitting back down to his own meal. "The kid may have a rough training session tomorrow, but he beat Kilowog today; how many Lanterns can say that?"

* * *

Kilowog angrily stood in the shower, still clothed, washing off the food residue that covered the upper half of his body. He could always dry his uniform off, but it was still a hassle just the same to spend time cleaning up after that kid. Remembering that teen's smug face as he lied and said he didn't flip his tray, the mocking way he said, "Sir," and-

He growled, turning off the spigot with some force as he created several fan constructs, which rushed all around his body, drying it in a matter of seconds. Looking in a nearby mirror, he was satisfied with his appearance, although he was still miffed with having to fly across Oa covered with his dinner. He was the Head Combat Training Officer, and he took pride in his position. Even though he was supposed to train and look after all the Rookies, including the human, he was still angry at the kid for humiliating him.

_You mean like how you humiliated him_, he thought to himself, tromping towards his room.

_That was different; that was hazing and teaching him a lesson. Besides, he mentioned my whole species being wiped from existence. How did he even __**know**__ that?_

_Who cares? He's young, the youngest Lantern ever, __**and**__ dumb, and it's your job to make sure he doesn't die on duty._

Kilowog sighed, laying down on his bed and looking up at the ceiling. Sometimes he hated thinking to himself, because he always made sense. Usually, he let his fists and constructs do the talking, and didn't fall into any moral dilemmas. Like now, for instance; he wanted to protect the kid and prepare him adequately for the harshness of the universe, but the teen was infuriating beyond belief (even more so than Guy). He understood that the boy was young and immature, but he was chosen to wield the ring for a reason. Kilowg didn't need to know or care why; he just had to train them.

"So I'll train him," he said out loud, his voice briefly echoing in the silence. "But I don't have to be his friend or be easy on him."

* * *

_Dear Mom,_

_ Sorry for being drafted into an intergalactic police force with headquarters on a planet several hundred light years away. Unfortunately, it appears that I'm stuck here for a while, training until I get assigned an area of space to protect. I'll get to come home for a short while then, but then I'll be gone for even longer._

_ I miss you a lot… and I love you._

_At least most of the aliens here are nice; Ch'p is a talking rodent alien that looks like a squirrel but hates that comparison. He's fiery at times, but kind; he's the one that explained everything about Oa (the planet I'm on) and the Green Lantern Corps. There's over 7,000 members, and whenever one of them dies, their ring goes to find a new wielder. That means that someone died before the ring came to me, which is depressing to think about. I don't know much about the ring's previous owner, but they appeared to be well respected and strong._

_ I only hope I can live up to that standard._

_ I also met Hal Jordan. He's one of the human Lanterns and a member of the Justice League. According to him, Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter came to talk to you about what happened to me. Lucky! Martian Manhunter's my favorite League member, so I'm a little jealous, though it's still cool to meet a member of the Justice League. I've also met many other aliens here on Oa, including this guy named Tomar, who had a bird's beak and talks with a British accent (for some reason). I've also met some in my training group, but I'm not close with them yet._

_ The only person I dislike is Kilowog, the Combat Training Officer/Drill Sergeant. He's about seven or eight feet tall, pink, and looks like he doesn't need a magic ring to break me or anyone in half. He's gruff, loud, and hard to please. Only one person from the group managed to complete the exercise he gave us on the first day, but she got punched in the face (don't worry; she's not human, so its OK, apparently, though it seems wrong)._

_ I'm the youngest rookie ever, which means I'll be the youngest Green Lantern ever. That's a lot of pressure on someone who was forced into this a day ago, so I hope I can manage. More importantly, I hope you are doing OK with this whole change. If I could come home, I would, and mark my words; I'll do my best to come home as soon as possible._

_ I'm nearly out of words, so I'll say goodbye for now, and I love you._

_ I'll come home eventually. I promise._

_ Sam._

* * *

**As you can tell, Kilowog and Sam probably aren't off to a good start, but it's only his first day. Will they become friends? Only time will tell.**

**Is anyone else here Ambidextrous? I'm not (I'm right handed) but I've always found it super cool that some people could use both hands equally.**

**Also, what that metal band around Sam's head is explained in the next chapter!**

**I hope you all enjoy the story so far, and please favorite/follow if you want more, and feel free to leave a review!**

**Have a great day, everyone!**

**-aggiefrogger**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey, Readers!**

**I'm back!**

**Sorry for the hiatus; between classes and other fictions, I kinda lost the way to finish this next chapter, but suddenly, it came to me, and I finished it, now full of ideas on how to continue this FF. I hope that this chapter was worth the wait, and I apologize again; I _hate_ putting stories on hold, and I don't plan on doing it with this story ever again. You who have followed and favorited this story, along with new readers, deserve to see this to its completion, and I intend to do so.**

**So, without further delay, here is Chapter Four! Enjoy!**

**-aggiefrogger**

* * *

**Welcome To The Jungle:**

The next couple weeks were hell, to say the least.

Even though Kilowog couldn't prove that Sam had flipped the tray, it didn't stop him from coming down hard on the kid during training sessions. The teen could tell that the alien was still upset, pushing him a little harder than the rest of the other rookies, which he called "Poozers," since they were apparently "unworthy" to be a Lantern. Even though the combat training officer was tough on all of them, he seemed especially hard on the human boy, making him fly extra laps, criticizing him the most, and, when demonstrating a fighting technique, he used the teen as his example dummy. The other rookies basically cut the boy out; they didn't want to get near him, lest they also receive some of Kilowog's wrath.

Sam wasn't the only rookie that was bad at ring-slinging, though. The conjoined twin aliens, Merk and Marnas, had trouble focusing with two heads, which meant that everyone else had to constantly be on their guard to avoid a stray construct that could knock them out. It became obvious to all of the other rookies that the sullen yellow alien, whose name was Elantra, was the strongest of the group. She was the only one who managed to break through Kilowog's constructs, and rarely got yelled at by the sergeant, though she still struggled at times. The other Poozers, including Sam, were mediocre, but tried their best to grow stronger, and they slowly were.

Everyday, the boy went back to his room, sometimes too sore and too tired to move. Fortunately, his ring was helpful in healing his injuries, but it took a while for him to completely heal enough, and it used a lot of power. Ch'p had given him a small green device, which he called a lantern, which he could use to charge his ring without having to go to that giant one on Oa, though he had to charge the lantern every on. He preferred it that way, though he'd have to bring the battery lantern back to the large one every once in a while. He tried to listen to his headphones, but the metal band around his head was cumbersome, so he had to listen to the music out loud, the old music tunes filling the small room, helping him relax and focus on moving forward.

His mom responded to his message a few days after he sent it. She was doing fine; she missed him terribly, and told him that as far as any of the neighbors knew, he was spending time with an Aunt in Louisiana. She missed him as well, but according to Hal Jordan, he should be back in about a month and a half, when he completed training. They both knew his visit would be a short one, but the Texans were both desperate to see each other in person once again. It was that knowledge of going home that kept him going through the grueling training exercises.

* * *

"Fall in line, Poozers," Kilowog barked at the rookies one day, who quickly scrambled into a line, standing straight and erect, not daring to slouch even an inch. Sam held in his breath a little, wondering what new and painful move he'd have to learn today. It was three weeks into his training, and the teen was starting to get used to the constant punches and hits, his body and constructs slowly growing stronger each day.

The large alien paced in front of them, smiling a crocodile smile while he did so. "We're goin' on a little field trip today, Poozers," he finally said, and it took Sam's whole will to not look at the other rookies to see how they were reacting. It was weird; they weren't going to do any physical training or exercising, it sounded like, which meant that the teen could finally not have to spend all afternoon nursing his wounds-

"We're gonna be doing some air battles in space today."

_...And there it is_, Sam thought grumpily, having learned long ago not to speak out loud unless directly asked to. _Another day, another humiliating beat down._

"You'll be split into two teams, and the goal will be to capture an objective that the other team is guarding. This will be a real challenge for you; not only will you have to deal with sneak attacks from all angles, but also with maneuvering in a weightless environment. I know we've done some space flight before, but this will be a chance to see how good you are at flying _and_ fighting."

_Oh_, the teen thought. _It's basically capture the flag, but with weapons powerful enough to destroy a planet._

"Now for the teams." Kilowog looked at the line of rookies in front of him, evaluating each one as they waited with bated breath. Eventually, he gave another sinister grin, pointing towards Sam. "Poozer, with me. We're one team. The rest of you are another team."

Sam couldn't help himself; his mouth dropped open in shock, and the other Lanterns-in-training were shocked as well. They muttered among themselves, some wondering why he chose these particular teams (though most knew that the commander had a grudge with the boy), and waiting for the human to complain or speak up in defiance. However, they were all shocked when someone _else_ spoke up instead.

"_WHAT_," Elantra demanded, speaking for the first time in their presence. Her eyes were narrowed at the training officer, her violet hair seeming to bristle irritably. "That hardly seems fair, Sir. We know you have it out for the human, but don't make things harder for him!"

The teen and other rookies quickly looked at the female alien, forgetting that they were supposed to stand at attention. For the first time since Max had started training, none of the other rookies had bothered to talk back or speak up to Kilowog in his defence. He felt grateful, but also upset that she hadn't spoken up earlier; he'd always assumed that she was trying to impress Kilowog all the time, so it surprised him that she would risk losing his positive view of her.

Kilowog turned to her, obviously surprised as well by this comment. His eyes narrowed, and he slowly walked over to the yellow woman, stopping in front of her. She was tall, but still shorter than the combat training officer. "Excuse me, Poozer," he asked softly.

Elantra didn't back down, staring the superior in the eye. "We need to learn to work together; the strongest of us mixed with the weakest, so why are you taking him away from us? It's like you _want _him to fail, Sir!"

You could hear a pin drop, it was so quiet. Even the alien commander was stunned into silence, his mouth slightly agape as the other Poozers stared at the two, waiting to see who would throw the first punch. Sam stared at the two in shock, wondering if he was somehow dreaming. A few moments later, the hammer fell.

"Last time I checked," the sergeant commented, speaking loudly for all to hear, "you aren't in charge of this little group of Poozers. And you're not a Green Lantern yet, either. So don't think that just because you're _slightly better_ than the rest of this group that you have the right to speak up and tell me how to do my job. Besides, you may be the best now, but I guarantee that one of these Poozers is gonna overtake you in due time." Elantra bristled slightly at the comment, a deep blush covering her face, but she tersely nodded, her face hard and cold.

"And as for the rest of you," he said, turning back to the rest of the rookies, "if _any_ of you have a problem with my methods, you can go complain to the Guardians; I'm sure they'd _LOVE_ to hear a pathetic Poozer like yourself complain about someone who's produced some of the Corp's best Lanterns! Am I makin' myself clear?!"

"Yes, sir," they chorused, the sarcasm hard to miss in the superior's tone.

"Now, like I said, the human's with me. I'll guard our objective while he goes after you, and the rest of you split up who guards and who comes after our objective. We'll be in an enclosed area of space, so you can't go too far from the goals. Understand?"

"YES SIR!"

* * *

Half an hour later, Sam was hiding behind a meteor construct, spying on the other team from afar with a pair of green binoculars.

As soon as they'd gotten to the area they were to battle in, Kilowog had encircled the entire area in a sphere about the length of ten or so football fields. He and the commanding officer went to one side while the rest of the rookies, led by Elantra, went to the other. Their object they were seeking was a small grey orb. Either team could come up with whatever construct they could to defend and protect it, as long as it didn't exceed the sphere's limits or killed anybody. Maiming was off, but beating the crud out of each other was encouraged.

Well, beating the crud out of _Sam_, that is. Kilowog had _graciously_ volunteered to guard their orb, since the boy's will, "was weaker than a Flarbian's entire government," whatever _that_ meant. So now Sam had to go retrieve the other team's orb alone, and pray that he didn't die as he faced the seven other rookies. Whether they were still learning like him, they outnumbered him, and seven wills were stronger than one.

"Are you just gonna sit there forever, Poozer," the sergeant spoke up from behind him, casually floating next to their orb, arms crossed. "Or are ya gonna actually come up with a plan so we win?"

The boy shot an annoyed look at the large alien. "Aren't we supposed to work together on this, Sir? Surely you must have _some_ sort of plan or idea of what to do." He tried to sound nonchalant, but he was secretly desperate for some sort of plan, since he had none.

"I do," the pink alien replied.

" … And?

"I'm your damn superior, boy; I don't have to tell you _shit!_ We may be on a team together, but I'm still your commanding officer, and I'm ordering you to come up with a plan yourself!" Kilowog glared at him. "I know! Why don't you create a giant tray of food to knock them out with?"

Sam's hands clenched tightly on the binoculars, but he said nothing; he figured that if he ignored the large alien's pokes, he wouldn't get into trouble. Instead, he turned back to the opposite end of the field, trying to figure out what to do. The other rookies were floating around their orb, evenly surrounding it from all angles.

Any frontal attack would lead to immediate defeat, and they had every other angle covered; the only way for him to win was to somehow incapacitate all of them at once, or knock them all out with a single blow. Giving his abilities, he doubted he could create a construct large enough to cause a dent, and it was obvious that Kilowog was going to remain unhelpful. That, combined with the metal band around his head starting to feel uncomfortable, the teen was annoyed, to say the least. He wished he was back in his room, listening to some old tape of his, and-

He gave a startled yelp when sound suddenly started blaring in his ears. Flailing around, the sound disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. Even though it was short, he recognized it.

_Guns N' Roses._

_Did I just-_ Sam tentatively straightened up, and, closing his eyes, focused on the song. Music started to play in his ears, quieter this time, and what was more incredible was that it seemed to be coming from the metal band. It was like a portable music player; sure, he had to think of the song, but it still worked! Listening to music was always his favorite activity; it always made him feel better, made him feel like he could do anything, and-

He smiled, the sound of a wailing guitar pounding in his ears as a crazy idea popped into his head. He could do _anything._

* * *

Elantra had decided to not let Kilowog's comment mess with her, and she quickly organized the other rookies into a formation, creating the construct that protected their orb as they waited.

She knew that one of three things would happen; one, no team would move and Kilowog would eventually let them go back to Oa. This was unlikely, giving his personality. Two, Kilowog would come, wipe them out, and take their orb. That was also unlikely; this whole exercise was to single out the human's weakness, which meant that option three was the way to go. Sam would come, on his own, and, being outnumbered, would be defeated, freeing her team to launch an attack on Kilowog's orb. Sure enough, she eventually caught sight of the boy flying straight towards him. A frontal attack; he probably wanted to end this quick.

"Get ready," Elantra barked, and the rookies immediately held up their rings, ready to bind the boy with constructs, when they noticed something odd. The metal band around the human's head was glowing green, as if it were a construct.

_He's __**actually**__ going to try and attack,_ the bright yellow alien thought, but before she could figure out why he'd do something so stupid, a sudden green mist appeared in the air, surrounding them and filling their half of the sphere.

A few of the rookies yelled, expecting poisoned gas, but when they weren't affected by it, they became more confused, giving their leader silent looks of what to do next. She was still trying to figure out what it was when two giant rectangular things appeared on either side of the teen, aimed right at them, a line connecting them to his head. Each rectangular monstrosity (which was more concerning, since the boy was unable to even produce anything bigger than a Kalry), and had circular indents, as if some sort of sound was supposed to come from them.

_But we're in space,_ Elantra thought, a bit perplexed. _Sound needs a medium to travel across and be heard, and-_

Her eyes widened in horror as the realization hit her, and she had opened her mouth to tell the others to plug their ears right as the loudest sound she'd ever heard filled the enclosed space.

* * *

Sam figured this:

If his metal band was somehow able to read his thoughts and play music in his ears, maybe, if he could figure it out, it could play sound for others to hear. There was no sound in space (since sound needed a medium to travel on, and space had none), so he created mist, which was thick enough to carry sound, and easy for him to construct. Then, making large speakers on either side of him, he decided to play his favorite song at full blast: _"Welcome to the Jungle."_

Being outside of the mist, floating in space, he didn't hear anything, but he saw the effect the sound had. The other rookies screamed and covered their ears, their construct around the orb fizzing out. Elantra managed to hold out better than the others, but she was still unable to focus on creating a construct to keep him out. Their orb floated in empty space, the rookies guarding it too busy trying to block out an electric guitar to stop anyone from taking it.

_Now,_ he thought.

He flew forward, the mist bending around him so it didn't cover him, and he grabbed the orb, shot a writhing Elantra a quick smirk, then flew away, the music still pounding in the mist behind him. When he got far enough away to ensure that they couldn't reach him, he faded out the mist, speakers, and the sound, releasing them from the agony. Finally, he stopped in front of the training officer, who simply raised an eyebrow at him, though there was a shadow of shock on his features.

Sam tossed him the orb, unable to keep the grin off his face. "I won, sir."

* * *

**And that's it!**

**As for Sam figuring out what the band was for, it finally came to me. Personally, when I listen to certain songs, I feel like I can do anything, and am somehow filled with energy I didn't know I had. I'm sure some of you can relate to this, which is why Sam was able to do what he did, despite still being weak. **

**I don't know if the whole solution to the exercise was unbelievable, but I tried to make sure it made sense with real science, and since Sam _is_ a teen, it makes sense that his ideas would differ from those of the adults around him.**

**Of course, this reveal means he's about to get more powerful over time (more so than Elantra, probably), but he's still got a long road ahead of him.**

**Favorite and follow, and leave a review if you want! Have a great day, and keep an eye out for more chapters!**

**Note: I do NOT own Guns N' Roses, Welcome to the Jungle, and Green Lantern in ANY way, shape or form.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey, Readers!**

**So glad that so many of you have Favorited and followed the story so far! Thank you for your continued support!**

**Here's a two-part arc for y'all, since you guys probably deserve one by now. We also learn a little more about Sam's fellow Rookies! ****Enjoy!**

**-aggiefrogger**

* * *

**Survival: Part One**

After his stunt with the sound attack, the other Rookies stopped seeing Sam as someone to be avoided… more or less. Sure, they avoided him during training with Kilowog (since the pink alien still had it out for him, it seemed), but they started hanging out with him after practices, and the teen was glad for some company, for once. They ate meals together, sparred each other on one of the many practice fields, helping one another get better, and even had races around the planet. Of course, Elantra continued to be a lone wolf, but they could tell she now saw Sam as a threat to her being the top Rookie. He didn't care about how well he did in training; only about going home.

Now that they weren't avoiding him 24/7, the teen was able to get to know his fellow Rookies and future Lanterns. The really tall albino alien with unnaturally red hair was called Uhjan, and he was a scientist back on his planet before being chosen; apparently, his hair was actually a living creature that he had a symbiotic relationship with. It was kind of freaky, seeing the hair as another living creature, but one quickly got used to it. The conjoined twins, Yanx and Yanxa, were pretty smart; apparently, they were considered college-student aged, but their age equaled about 300 human years, give or take. They, like Sam, were still in school when they were chosen, and needed special permission from their planet's Council to let the come to Oa. And the short alien that was covered with spiky purple hair and had multiple arms was called Pzanar, and he was the oldest of the Rookies; the funny thing was, he'd spent centuries working in the mines on his planet, and the day after his retirement, he was chosen to be a Green Lantern. He wasn't bitter, however, and found it kind of hilarious. He also liked to tell stories about his buddies from the mines (which could get long-winded and boring pretty quickly), and they listened out of politeness.

In return, the four other Rookies were very inquisitive about Sam, having never met a human before. Of course, they'd heard rumors about them, so the teen had to explain certain things, like why they weren't as advanced as the rest of the universe, why they voluntarily chose to live in extremely cold and hot places, and about the Justice League. They also asked him about his music trick, and he explained the headband, playing a few songs for them. Music wasn't a thing on the twins' planet, and they were especially fascinated by it, and they often asked him to play songs for them while they trained, saying it helped them focus better.

Since they started hanging out, they started to see Sam as their unofficial leader; between him and Elantra, he was kinder and more understanding, and treated the other Rookies with respect, not holding a grudge against them for not sticking up for him during training. The teen, quickly spotting what the others were struggling with, was the one who suggested they practice outside of training, and they started to do so, taking over a small practice field near the Cafeteria building during their limited free time. They didn't mind the extra practice, since it wasn't with Kilowog, and since they weren't required to stand at attention, they looked forward to this time. Sam would listen to music (though he sometimes played it out loud) as he launched small projectiles at the Rookies, who tried to hit them out of the air. Deciding to not follow the Bolovaxian's example, the boy encouraged them, gave them pointers, and pretty soon, they were able to hit several projectiles launched at lightning speed at once. Several Green Lanterns that were flying by sometimes stopped to watch, and some even gave advice about fighting and ring slinging technique.

As they continued to practice and train, it also became apparent that each of them had a special skill of some sort; Sam, of course had his music and unorthodox construct ideas (he'd once thrown a miniature Alamo at the Twins during an exercise), but Uhjan had a knack for creating extremely detailed and elaborate constructs that looked like one thing but was actually another. Pzanar, they discovered, could create constructs of brute strength; waving his four arms around, he finally channeled the muscles he'd earned after years of working in the mines into his constructs, letting the large boulders he made crush any construct that crossed his path (it was noticed that he made boulders 90% of the time). Yanx and Yanxa, while struggling at first with coming up with something to construct, eventually found their skill: speed. Out of the group, they were the fastest in the flying races they held, moving so fast, they were like a green blur.

Even though they were kind, they still didn't do much to help Sam during their training with Kilowog. However, it was worth seeing the training officer's surprised face when Pzanar was able to made a dent in the Twins' shield, and when Uhjan was able to knock Elantra back during a sparing session. And, of course, the teen was getting stronger, slowly but surely, and eventually, he was able to create a shield strong enough to keep the flight commander out (though it only lasted for about five seconds before Kilowog broke it and threw him across the training field).

Elantra, meanwhile, had grown more distant from the other Rookies, and Sam and the others sometimes saw her training by herself, creating constructs of enemies and attacking them with viscous precision. She seemed pretty angry for a Green Lantern-in-training, and most of the time, they half-expected a Red Lantern to show up and recruit her. They asked her several times to join them for their training sessions and to meet up at mealtimes, but she always refused.

"I wonder why she seems so intent on being alone," Uhjan commented one day, looking over at the bright yellow alien as she sat by herself, eating her lunch. "Especially since she was pushing for teamwork before."

"Probably because she wouldn't be in charge," Yanxa spoke up, tearing into some sort of meat that she shared with her brother, who nodded his head in agreement.

"Reminds me of a pal of mine from my days back on Garxaw," Pzana spoke up, taking a sip of his drink before launching into his story, causing the others to groan a little.

"Her loss," Sam muttered, turning back to his casserole. He personally like her about as much as he liked Kilowog, but she was still part of their Rookie group, and he knew he should probably try again. Getting up, he walked over to her, and she shot him a wary glare as he approached.

"Hey," he started, "we were wondering if you wanted to-"

"No."

"Good talk." Turning back toward his table, he figured that he maybe should have tried harder, but another look back at Elantra proved otherwise

..

One day, Kilowog took the group of Rookies to a nearby moon called Lawens, which was a barren stretch of land as far as the eye could see, and slightly smaller than Earth's moon. To Sam, it reminded him of the desert-like terrain he'd seen around the Trans-Pecos region of westernmost Texas; at least it wasn't 98 degrees outside.

"Listen up, Poozers," the training officer barked, the six Rookies standing at attention, "it's time for my favorite trainin' exercise: survival!"

_Uh oh,_ the teen thought.

"You'll be split up, taken to separate parts of the moon, and you will have a predetermined set of time to make your way to a final location and meet the others. Oh… and there's one more thing-"

He held up his fist, ring glowing, and to everyone's shock, their rings flew off of their fingers, being caught by the commander. Their uniforms faded away, and Sam was fortunate that he slept in his shorts and a t-shirt, and that he wore his tennis-shoes underneath his uniform as well. Everyone else was wearing simple undergarments as well, and all of them weren't dressed to last in the environment. Taking a shaky breath, the teen was relieved that he was able to breathe, and that the temperature was around the upper 70's (living in Texas, you learned how to judge how hot it was outside pretty quickly).

"Lanterns need to be able to survive without their rings in case they're ever stranded for periods of time," the large alien explained. "But because you six are so_ pathetic,_ I'll give ya each a map of how to get to the rendezvous point." Holding out his fist again, a green platform appeared under their feet rising into the air. "You'll have until the sun sets; I'd get to the meeting point by then, because it's gonna get colder than the frozen planes of Mabnae when it's nighttime! Also, to make things fair-"

Blindfolds covered the Rookies' eyes, obscuring their view as they ascended

"So you don't see where your fellow Rookies are and try to work together. And one more thing," the Bolovaxian added, "_try_ not to die. It means nuthin' but paperwork for me!" He laughed at his own joke as they soared over the moon, the Rookies of them trying not to panic.

..

Sam looked around the barren wasteland around him, wishing that he had some water right about now. He recalled hearing once that humans could go without water for about a week, but he didn't want to find out if that was real or not.

While it wasn't Texas hot on the moon, it was still hot, and the teen trudged across the plain, every once in a while pulling out a small device, checking the holo-map the training officer had given him to see if he was heading in the right direction, and then continuing across the ground. There was some vegetation; a few small trees and bushes, and he even saw a few alien creatures trudging about, but he gave them a wide berth. He had no idea if any of them were fit for human consumption, and based on his talks with Ch'p, he knew better than to underestimate a strange creature; for all he knew, they could eat him in a matter of seconds. He did find a stick on the ground, which was the perfect length for a hiking stick, and he carried it with him, humming to himself in an effort to keep his mind occupied.

Sam wondered how everyone else was doing, wondering how far away from the goal they were, and if they were already there. Kilowog could've taken him the farthest away in an effort to fail him, but he pushed this thought from his mind; the sky was already starting to darken, and the teen, who'd been walking for a few hours now, taking a few periodic rests in the shade of some large rocks, hurried his speed, determined not to be caught in the cold. He wasn't sure how cold Mabnae got at night, but he didn't want to find out. According to the map, he was a little over a mile away from the rendezvous sight, and if he kept it up, then he would reach it before the sun-

A scream echoed across the plain, high and shrill, coming form somewhere to his right. Instantly on guard, Sam squinted into the horizon, trying to see what had made the noise. It sounded almost female, but who-

At first, he could only make out a vague shape, but then, as she grew closer, he recognized Elantra as she raced across the plane, heading towards a nearby pile of large boulders some 100 yards to his right. Behind her, a pack of those tiny rodent-like aliens were chasing her, and judging by the growling sound they'd made, they weren't the cuddly kind. This was confirmed when one of them launched forward, latched itself onto her leg, and tried to bite through it as the alien screamed, hitting it off of her as she now limped as fast as she could towards the boulders. Judging by her speed, though, she wouldn't make it.

"Damnit," the teen muttered, starting towards her, holding the large stick in both hands; now he had to save her, and probably give her another reason to dislike him. However, he couldn't just let her die, and he started yelling, trying to draw the creature's attention towards him.

Elantra noticed him, gave him a surprised look, but continued toward the rocks. The creatures, which reminded him of rats the size of dictionaries, immediately turned and started towards him. He also started towards the rocks, knowing he wouldn't last long, but as soon as he got within fifty yards of the rocks, the first one reached him, and he swung the stick at it, knocking it back. A few more followed, and it was a struggle to keep them back as more and more started to come towards him.

Giving the boulders a quick glance, seeing that the bright yellow alien had made it, he quickly turned and ran towards the boulders, still carrying the stick, and occasionally swinging it behind him, hoping to keep them back. One of them scratched his elbow, but he managed to keep ahead of them, and when he reached the rocks, he leaped onto the side of the rock, quickly scrambling up it as the creatures clawed and scratched at the rock beneath him. Nearly slipping, he managed to get a good grip on the topmost part of the rock, and pulled himself up, collapsing on his back and staring at the sky, trying to catch his breath.

The creatures, after a few minutes, seemed to get bored and moved off, their grunts and growls disappearing into the distance. Now rested, Sam sat up, scanning the ground some ten feet below him for any sign of the creatures.

"They're gone," a hard voice came from behind him, and he turned around to find a sullen Elantra leaning against a rock, staring up at the ceiling. Looking down at her leg, he was confused to find it un-scarred, as if she'd never been bitten.

"How did you-" he started to ask.

"I can regrow limbs," she explained, jerking her head towards the other side of the boulder. "My old leg's over there."

The teen gaped at her, and, unbelieving, went over to the edge of the boulder and looked, nearly hurling at the sight of her bloody and dismembered leg laying on the ground below him, even more so when the rat-things started to attack it.

"That's messed up," he gasped, a little queasy as he quickly looked away.

"You humans are too soft," the alien commented, smirking at his green face. "And weak. What kind of species can't regrow their limbs?"

"I'm not a starfish," he said heading back towards his end of the boulder. "Let's just get going before the sun sets, and-"

As he said this, he looked up at the sky, and to his horror, saw that the sun had disappeared over the horizon. Staring at it, he noticed that his breath was starting to rise in front of him, and he fell back, accidentally knocking the stick off the rocks. It clattered to the ground, and as he looked down after it, it started to cover in frost, along with the rest of the ground, spreading out all around them as the sun finally disappeared from view. He heard Elantra give a gasp behind him, and he realized that they were trapped; even if they could get down, they'd turn into Popsicles, and would never make it to the checkpoint.

"Shit," he muttered, starting to shiver as a cold wind swept across the plane.

* * *

**Yeah... you knew I'd have the two confront one another eventually; especially after he showed her up in the last chapter. Also, I figured that Kilowog would make them train without their rings at one point, and this chapter came to me. More to come in the next part, including Elantra's backstory!**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Favorite and follow to keep updated when more chapters come and feel free to leave a review with your comments and thoughts on the chapter or the story as a whole!**

**Have a great day! I also don't own the Alamo! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey, Readers!**

**Here's Part Two of the Survival storyline. Sam learns something interesting about his fellow Rookie that changes everything he ever thought about her. Meanwhile, someone is plotting for his downfall... Kinda short, but wraps up the arc nicely.**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

**-aggiefrogger**

* * *

**Survival: Part Two**

**Sam POV:**

"This can't be good," Sam muttered to himself, looking at the frosted-over wasteland that spread out around them. At least the frost wasn't coming up the side of the rock, but it was still freezing; a chilling wind blew across the plain, causing him to shiver.

"Great," he heard Elantra grumble behind him. "Out of all the Rookies to be stuck with I'm stuck with you!"

That comment, combined with the pressing thought of their possible death, caused the teen to whirl around angrily, even though he knew better that to egg her on. "What's your deal? I know you don't like me, or my species, whichever it is, but you don't have to act like a dick all the time! The rest of us have tried everything we could think of to reach out to you and be your friend, but you act like you're so much better than us!"

The bright yellow alien probably didn't know what a dick was, but she could tell that he was calling her out on her behavior. Her eyes narrowed as she glared at him. "It is none of your concern why I act how I act. If I were you, I'd be focusing on being a better Lantern!"

"I'm already doing that! And I'm helping the others do the same, even though you haven't bothered to come train with us, even after _pretending_ to care all about teamwork a few weeks ago during capture the flag!"

"Again, I don't need to explain my actions to you."

Sam couldn't help but throw his hands up in the air in exasperation; he didn't know what else he could do, and he resigned himself to the fact that some people (or aliens) were unable of being friendly. "Let's just focus on how to get out of here; maybe we could light a fire-"

"The wind would blow it out," she said bluntly.

"Well we need to get their attention _somehow!_ What would yo-"

"They'll come for us, and we'll either last long enough until then, or not. And I better not get in trouble because of you when Kilowog gets here!"

"Uh, I'm not the one who got attacked by those rat things! I was trying to _help_ you, and I probably saved your life, too!"

"I didn't ask you too!"

"Whatever," he muttered, going towards his end of the boulders, looking up at the sky for any sign of the others. "If I had my ring I'd-"

Suddenly, his legs were swept out from underneath him, and he landed on his back hard. Before he could get up, Elantra was standing over him, and pressed her foot down on his throat, cutting off his airflow.

"It is NOT. YOUR. RING," she spat, her face full of rage, and something else; Regret? Sadness? "Let's get that fact straight! It was NEVER your ring! That ring will _always_ be Swet'llanga's!"

The teen blinked in surprise, trying to pry her foot away so he could breathe again. "How-How do you-"

"She was my SISTER," the alien yelled, her voice ringing through the air; the boy paused in his efforts to get away, staring up at her in shock. "She died protecting me _and_ our home world; she DIED in my arms! I was never a strong-willed individual before, but in that moment, I became worthy of a ring; I would make her proud, and let her memory live on. But did I get her ring? NO! It flies off to YOU, a member of the most self-absorbed species in the universe, and I end up with another's ring instead of HERS!"

She finally pulled her foot back, and Sam turned to his side, coughing and massaging his sore neck, his mind reeling as he processed his information. Sweg'llanga… the Lantern who wielded the ring before him… was Elantra's _sister_. Her SISTER. He never knew anything about who his predecessor was, and he had never bothered to ask. And to have been there when she died… no wonder Elantra acted the way she did towards him; if she was chosen right after her death, then she didn't have a moment to grieve. It also explained why she fought so hard; if Sweg'llanga was as impressive as everyone said she was, then his fellow Rookie had some large shoes to fill.

Looking over, he saw that the yellow alien had stalked back to her side of the boulders, hugging her legs and staring out at the cold landscape around them, her back to him. He couldn't tell if she was crying or not, but her shaking was probably due to the chill of the wind. Slowly sitting up, he awkwardly looked at her, wondering if he should say something; what do you say to the sibling of the alien who wielded the Green Lantern ring before you without sounding insensitive, especially when she doesn't like you? However, Elantra solved that problem for him.

"She was a great Lantern," the alien spoke up, still not looking at him. "The pride of our family and homeland, since she was the first of our kind to be chosen. When she died, and I was chosen… that burden fell onto my shoulders." She looked back towards him, her face unreadable. "You disrespect her memory by wearing that ring."

"I'm not _trying_ to," Sam replied, hoping he wasn't being disrespectful, but also determined to redeem his character, for some reason. "I'm just trying to get through each day without suffering any major injuries! And as for Sweg-" Elantra glared at him at the mention of her sister's name, and he backed off. "I… I had no idea she was related to you; all anyone ever told me was that she was a great Lantern, just like you said. If it was so important to you, why didn't you say anything earlier? We could've switched ri-"

"The rings choose who their new wielder is, not us; we couldn't have done anything about it." They both lapsed into silence after that, but Sam felt that he should say something more, rubbing his arms to keep warm.

"I… I'm sorry, by the way. For your loss; I can't even imagine what that must've been like for you."

She made a scoffing noise. "Don't pretend that you care."

He gave a small huff of exasperation; was she incapable of accepting _anything_ kind or positive? "Of _course_ I care! We're both Rookies, and whether you train with us or not, you're still one of us. And don't think that I don't know what you're going through; I've lost someone close to me before, and everyday I try to do better, for their sake. I also know that distancing yourself from others and acting like an angsty teen isn't going to make her feel any better. You can take my condolences and apologies if you want, but I'm not going to force you to. I may not have known Sweg'llanga, but if she was a good Lantern, as you say, then she'd probably be disappointed in your behavior right now."

Elantra turned back to him, and he quickly braced himself for another attack that never came. Instead, she burst into tears, giving a chocked sob that sounded like a dying animal. As shocking as it was, her tears were red, like blood, and it took all of Sam's willpower to not give a horrified scream. She quickly covered her face, turning away as she continued to sob, her shoulders shaking.

For the first time since they started talking, the boy became aware of the cold once again; it was like being outside in the winter, and he shivered, hugging his arms as he watched her cry, feeling a mixture of embarrassment, pity, and fear. Seeing the usually sullen alien so… so… vulnerable, made him feel uncomfortable, like seeing an adult cry. Watching her, however, he realized he never knew how old she was; he was judging her actions as if she were an adult, but looking at her now… she seemed like a scared little kid.

"I _am_ a kid," she sputtered, still sniffing. "And yes, I can read minds."

"GAH-" Sam was so startled by this out-of-nowhere revelation that he hadn't noticed how far the frost had spread up the side of the rock until it was too late. His foot slipped on a patch near his foot, and he fell off the boulder, landing on the ground.

His left leg absorbed most of the impact, and he heard a loud crack, followed by unbearable pain. However, he couldn't focus on that as he stared in horror as the frost from the ground started to cover his hands. He screamed, trying to scramble to his feet, but he slipped and fell again, now staring at the sky. Looking up, he thought he heard Elantra scream something, and he could have sworn he saw a green flash of light before the ice covered his eyes, his body succumbing to the cold.

..

When Sam woke up, the first thing he was aware of was warmth; not regular warmth, but an abundance of warmth, so unlike the cold weather of the moon. The next thing he was aware of was a humming noise. Confused, wondering if he was now in Heaven, and he opened his eyes.

He appeared to be in a hospital of sort, but giving the architecture of the room, it was on Oa; it looked like he'd been rescued after all. Looking to his left, he saw a window overlooking one of the main squares of the planet, and saw Green Lanterns going about their day. He shifted his hand, and felt the ring on his finger once again; a touch to the band around his head confirmed this.

"Look who's up."

He couldn't help but groan as he turned to the other side, seeing Kilowog rising from a nearby chair, towering over him. "Hello, Sir. Forgive me for not saluting; I think I still need to thaw out."

The drill sergeant actually chuckled a little at that, crossing his arms. "Glad to see your tongue was spared."

"It'll take more than a little frost to silence me."

The alien gave a snort of laughter at that, and for a second, Sam wondered if the training officer actually was being kind to him. That thought was quickly refuted when the large alien scowled at him, now looking serious. "Well, ya failed the test, to start, but so did Elantra. There's always at least one Rookie that fails it, but I wasn't expectin' you to be one of them."

"Sorry to disappoint," Sam muttered, shifting his body a little. He froze, then did it again. Yes, he wasn't imagining it; his leg was no longer broken.

"Luck we got to ya in time; any longer, and you would've lost it to frostbite."

"Always an optimist, Sir?"

The Bolovaxian grinned, which didn't do anything to reassure the teen's nerves. "Just be glad you're still here, and that the Guardians insisted that you stay, despite my objections."

"Why do you hate me," the boy asked. "Just curious. Is it because of my comment on day one? If so I'm sorry that I-"

"I'm not that petty," the trainer interrupted, walking towards the door. "And as to why I dislike you… I don't. You humans always think that you're the center of the universe." The teen glared at him, and received another smile; both knew that the pink alien was lying. "You'll be back at trainin' tomorrow morning, regular time, and know that you'll have extra laps around Oa for failin' the mission. Also, you have visitors." The door slid open, and he walked into the hallway, and immediately, the Rookies came into the room, swarming towards his bedside; all were back in their uniforms, and their rings glowed on their fingers.

"You're alive," Pzanar said, floating in the air so he could see Sam. "We thought you were dead for sure!"

"Thanks, man," the boy muttered, though he knew the alien meant well.

"We thought _you'd_ be the one to make it to the rendezvous first," Yanxa spoke up.

"Yeah," Yanx added. "We all made it right before the sun set, and when you and Elantra didn't show up, Kilowog turned the objective into a Search-and-Rescue mission."

"Are your injuries healed," Uhjan asked. "The last time we saw you, you were covered in ice, and your leg appeared to be at an abnormal angle."

"I'm fine," the human assured them all. "No more broken bones, and I'm good to go for training tomorrow; are we still meeting after lunch for some exercises?"

The purple-spiked alien grinned. "You know us!"

"We can even start now, if you guys want," Sam added, swinging his legs off the bed, relieved that his legs didn't cave underneath him.

"Can I come too," a voice spoke up.

The Rookies turned around to find Elantra standing in the doorway, wearing her uniform as well. She seemed hesitant to step into the room, and refused to look anyone in the eye. A brief memory of her crying flashed in the human's mind, and the ring on his finger suddenly seemed heavier.

"I… I was just wondering if I could," She gave a small sigh. "If I could join you all with your extra training."

The other Rookies were in shock, to say the least, at the sudden change in her demeanor, and all immediately turned to Sam, since he was the unofficial leader of the group. He looked at the bright yellow alien, but not in the same way as before; despite her looks, she was still a kid, probably around his age, and she could read minds. That would explain why she rarely got in trouble with Kilowog during training, and why she was always able to find an opponent's weaknesses during sparing sessions.

"I see no reason why not," he finally said, giving her a small smile. "We're a family, and we should stick together."

She looked up a little at that, and gave him a small smile, but he could tell she was worried about something else.

I won't tell, he thought, and was relieved when she gave another small nod; it would be there secret, and he hoped that it wouldn't backfire on him.

"Okay everyone," he said out loud, turning towards the others, "let's go!"

* * *

**Elantra POV:**

Good, he fell for it.

The whole fake sister thing was good, but pretending to be younger than she really was seemed a little over the top and unbelievable, and Elantra was annoyed at having to cry in front of him to get his mental guards down, but it worked; she was fortunate that he didn't know anything more about his ring's predecessor, or suspected that she was still an adult. Now, with access to the secrets of his mind, she would soon be able to discover the best way to take him down. Training was like survival; if you weren't strong, you lose.

For her, some species were easier to read than others, their minds like an open book. But for some reason, those stupid, self-centered humans had particularly strong minds, and Sam's was no exception. Now, however, she was in, and it was only a matter of time before she took him down. She could already tell that he hated Kilowog, and that the training officer hated him back. All she needed was for one of them to tip the scale, for one of them to go too far, and the rest would take care of himself. Sam would be gone (or dead; she didn't care), and _she_ would be the top Lantern in their group.

However, she still had time. So, smiling as the pathetic human said something to her, she carried on her charade, patiently biding her time before she would strike…

* * *

**Yep! Elantra's pretty tricky, isn't she? When that "tipping point" comes, you know some serious stuff's gonna go down!**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Sorry if it seems kind of rushed, but now you know the whole survival bit was about Elantra, not the training exercise. She's pretty competitive, but that may lead to her downfall. Who knows? Well,_ I_ do, but you'll find out soon enough.**

**Make sure to favorite and follow to keep yourselves updated and current on new chapters and stories, and feel free to drop a review with your comments/thoughts on the chapter and overall story so far! Hope you all have a great day!**

**-aggiefrogger**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey Readers! Happy New Year!**

**Sorry for the early post; I, who am still on my Winter Break, was woken up by my family at 6:30 AM because they had to go to school, so I figured I might as well post this now. I hope you all had a nice break with your families and friends. It's been a while since my last chapter, mainly because I rewrote this about two or three times; I don't know why, but this chapter was a struggle to pen, though the chapters after this should be easier to write since I already have an idea about what comes after this. But thank you all for being patient to see the next chapter of the story!**

**Anyway, I know school and work is starting again, so good luck to whatever you have, and enjoy this next chapter in the story!**

* * *

**Rising Tensions:**

"Heard you've made quite a name for yourself," Ch'p said, flying next to Sam as they made their way towards the giant lantern to power their rings and portable lanterns. "I'm gone for a few weeks, and you're already one of the top Rookies in the group!"

"I'm not the best," the teen replied modestly, landing on one of the platforms, the rodent-like Lantern hovering next to him. "Technically, that's Elantra." It'd been a while since he'd seen his first friend on Oa, so he was happy to fill him in on everything that's happened. It was also a rare free day for the Rookies (which was a relief to Sam; he felt like he was going to snap if he didn't get a break soon), so the two friends were able to spend time catching up with one another.

"But it seems you've made quite the impression on the rest of the group. At least that's what Kilowog's said."

"You've talked to him?"

"Yes."

"About me?"

"Yes…"

"Why, Judas?"

"I don't know who that is, but I assure you I wasn't betraying our friendship. He was just mentioning how much you've improved since you've gotten here, and also mentioned you breaking your leg at one point?"

"That was a few days ago, but are you sure you talked to Kilowog?" They were now standing in line as one by one, other Lanterns stepped up to the giant lantern to charge their rings and lanterns. "I mean, that sounds like something positive about me."

"He's still giving you a tough time?"

"Yeah; I'm surprised he didn't leave me on that moon to freeze to death!"

"C'mon Sam; he's not heartless."

"With so many different species on this planet, I wasn't exactly sure."

"You know what I mean. There's a reason he's been a trainer for so many years: it's because he cares about helping Rookies become Lanterns."  
The teen gave a small snort of laughter. "Sure has a funny way of showing it. Though I will admit, it has gotten easier now that I've gotten better at ringslinging."

"And who taught you the basics on how to ringsling and hone your abilities," Ch'p asked innocently.

" …_ Fine!_ Technically, Kilowog did, but I've also been organizing practices between the Rookies outside of training. That could also be a reason as to how well I've gotten."

"Probably, but why did you start those extra practices?"

"Because we were fed up with Kilowog's-" Sam cut off, looking over at the smirking alien. "Damnit!"

"Chin up, Sam," the alien said brightly, still floating next to him, covered in that green glow. "Just submit yourself to the fact that Kilowog's the reason you're becoming a great Lantern."

"I don't know where you've been assigned, but if you could please leave as soon as possible-"

"Don't worry," the squirrel-like alien assured him. "I'll be leaving real soon; in a few seconds, in fact."

The teen turned towards his friend, confused. "What are you talking abou-" He then gaped as the alien glowed a brighter green, then disappeared in a flash, leaving empty space where he had been.

_Did… did he just… die,_ Sam wondered, fear settling in his chest as he wondered what the heck just happened. _Can Lanterns teleport?_ Then, just as he was thinking he should probably leave before getting accused for murder, he heard someone speak up from behind him which made him freeze where he stood.

"What's the matter, Poozer? Confused?"

It sounded like Ch'p's voice, but the word choice and tone reminded him more of- "Kilowog."

He turned around to find said alien floating down towards him. The Bolovaxian's fist was raised, ring glowing, and the glowing figure of Ch'p floated next to him, still cast in that green light that the teen had thought was just an afterglow.

"You certainly_ look_ confused," the large alien asked in Ch'p's voice, the fake Ch'p's mouth moving along with it like some sort of puppet.

"You gotta be kidding me," Sam muttered, turning away from the alien to focus on the line, which was nearing its end as the Green Lanterns in front of him charged their rings, as well as to hide his embarrassed expression.

"You obviously weren't payin' attention when I was tellin' you all about illusion constructs," the training officer spoke up, his voice back to normal. "I expected better of you."

"Leave me alone," the boy said angrily, refusing to look at the large pink alien. "That wasn't funny! I've been talking to that fake Ch'p for over half an hour!"

"Which makes it even funnier," the alien laughed, standing right behind him. "But I'm here to charge my ring, too. Apparently, keepin' up a fake Lantern construct is pretty energy-consumin'."

"As if you already weren't making training hell for me, now you have to interfere with what little free time I have?"

"It's my job."

"Why don't you ever bother any of the other Rookies? Do you just hate humans for some reason?"

"While most of the ones I work with are a pain in the ass, I don't hate your species. Green Lanterns don't discriminate."

"Yet here you are." The teen finally reached the giant lantern, holding up his smaller lantern to charge it before moving onto his ring. "Look, Sir, if you've got anything to say, then say it and leave me alone."

"Calm down, Poozer. I just wanted to chat."

"Isn't that what we're already doing, Sir?"

"Don't be a smart ass, Poozer; you know what I meant."

"Why bother though? What was wrong with pretending to be Ch'p and asking me about whatever it was you were trying to figure out? I would've told you anything you wanted to know if I thought it was him." He pulled his ring away from the glowing green monstrosity, making his way towards the exit.

He felt something wrap around his wrist, jerking him to a stop. Whirling around, he turned around to find Kilowog charging his own ring, a simple chain construct preventing him from going too far from the pink alien's side. The training officer gave him a smug look, as if daring him to try and escape, though knowing that the teen wouldn't be able to.

For some reason, Sam suddenly grew angry at the alien; he was already upset at being tricked by the training officer, and now the Bolovaxian was preventing him from enjoying his free day. Without thinking, he swung the small lantern in his hand, encasing it in a green block, and slammed it into the chain, putting everything he had into it. To his surprise, he broke the chain, and the training officer gave him a shocked look; this was the first time that the human had ever broken a construct of his.

Knowing he had only seconds to move, Sam quickly took off into the air, flying down the corridor and out into the open air above Oa. He knew that he couldn't get in trouble, since he didn't do anything wrong, but he still flew as fast as he could, not stopping until he was on the other side of the planet, landing in a small park area that was mostly deserted (he doubted most Green Lanterns had time to relax in a park).

Sitting on a bench, he told himself that he didn't do anything wrong; if anything, _Kilowog _was in the wrong by trying to stop him from leaving. Even if the alien found some sort of BS excuse to get him in trouble (which he probably would), the teen didn't care; he was too pumped up on adrenaline and anger to worry about getting sent to the Guardians or given extra laps around the planet. And as for wanting to talk to him, it was obviously some sort of excuse for the Bolovaxian to keep him from enjoying his day off.

_Who pretends to be another alien just so they could mess with me,_ the boy thought bitterly, looking up at the starry sky above him. _What kind of a trainer is he? He's sadistic. He's crazy. He's-_

"Flying right for me," the teen muttered, noticing the green and pink blur flying towards him from the sky. "Does he have a tracker on me or something?" He started to climb to his feet, not wanting to find out, but the officer shot out a construct, trapping his arm to the bench as the alien landed a few feet away of him.

"Let me go," Sam demanded, trying to pull his arm free of the construct.

"Break out of it yourself," the Bolovaxian ordered him.

"LET ME GO," the boy shouted, trying to yank his arm out with no success. "I don't want to talk to you! Just leave me alone!"

"You just broke through my chain construct a few minutes ago," the combat officer told him, unfazed by the teen's pleas. "You can break out of this if you want it bad enough."

"This isn't one of your training exercises! You may be my superior, but you can't do this to me on my day off!"

"Watch me."

Giving a growl of frustration, the boy slammed his free fist on the green construct, determined to be strong enough to break it. It cracked underneath his fist, his hand stinging with pain, but he hit it again three or four more times until it broke in half, the two pieces falling and then disappearing. His right hand was on fire, some of his fingers looking broken, but he ignored the pain, glaring at Kilowog.

"Happy now," he snapped. "Did I do well enough, or did you want me to break my leg as well?"

"I was just tryin' to-" the pink alien started to say.

"Get it through your thick skull that I DON'T WANT _ANYTHING_ TO DO WITH YOU! I don't care if I get in trouble with the Guardians or you, I don't wanna hear what you have to say! Just _LEAVE ME ALONE!_"

He shoved his hands out, wanting to push the alien back with a wall construct, but his right hand flared with pain, breaking his concentration as he dropped his small lantern battery. Crying out in pain, he held his injured hand, finally taking in the broken fingers, along with the blood coming from the cuts in his knuckles. He knew how to heal it, but his ring was currently on the broken hand, and trying to remove it would be painful.

A shadow crossed over him, and without hesitation, he tried to push the alien away, but it stopped his punch, looking at his injured hand with some concern. With his other hand, he gently grabbed his injured hand, examining it as if he were a doctor.

"You need to fix that," the officer told him.

"Thanks, Sherlock," Sam said, trying to pull his arm free without hurting himself. "I'll go heal then."

"I'll do it."

"I'd rather you didn't-"

"Not a negotiation, Poozer." The alien held up his ring, shooting a focused beam of light onto the teen's hand, waiting for the energy to start fixing his hand.

Sam wanted to fight back. He wanted to create some sort of construct to free himself, but between the pain in his hand and his anger, he was unable to focus his will enough to make something. But the only way of retaliation was not showing any pain as his fingers jumped back into place, the bones healing themselves. Moments later, his hand was healed, and he quickly pulled it from the officer's grasp, flexing the healed fingers.

"I already know what's going to happen now," the human spoke up as the combat officer turned towards him.

"Really? Didn't I always tell you to never underestimate anyone," Kilowog continued.

"You said to assume that your enemy would never play fair," the teen corrected him.

"Who said I'm your enemy?"

"Are you serious?" The boy didn't have any idea what the alien was playing at, but he wasn't going to take it anymore. "Even before I made that comment about your planet, you seemed to have it out for me. Since Day One, you've taken _every_ opportunity to beat me down, call me out on my failings, and used me as your personal punching bag! And I get that you're an officer and this is like the army, so you're supposed to do stuff like that, but now you're coming after me during MY free time, and you stand there pretending that everything's alright?!"

"Well, isn't everythin' alright," the trainer spoke up.

"GAH!" Screaming, the teen thrust his hand forward, ready to knock the officer through the wall with a boulder, but the pink alien was ready, blocking the construct with a wall of his own.

"You're upset," Kilowog told him. "Your emotions are preventin' you from thinkin' straight, and you might hurt yourself-"

"SCREW YOU," the boy yelled, chucking another rock construct at the alien. "YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME!"

"I know you're going through a rough time in your life; you're thousands of miles from the only home you've ever known, leaving your single mother alone after the death of your father years ago."

Sam was silent for a few moments, stunned by what Kilowog had said, but then he grew angry again. "Shut up," the boy snapped, enraged that the combat officer knew about his private family life, throwing another construct to no avail.

"You're an only child, and still young, and you never wanted to be here in the first place-"

"I said shut-"

"-And your dad died years ago when he was hit by a-"

"SHUT UP!" Sam yelled so loud, his voice gave out, and at the same time, a wave of green energy burst from him, knocking Kilowog off his feet. The human didn't mean to do what he did, but whatever it was, it was the most powerful construct he'd ever created. The boy, meanwhile, was feeling pumped on adrenaline, a rush of emotion and power coursing through his body. He was angry, sad, confused, and in pain; his throat felt like it was on fire. Nearby, the alien looked up at him, a shocked expression on his face as he tried to process what had just happened.

"Stay… away," Sam gasped, backing away towards the door. "Just… _Please..._"

He turned away after that, running out of the examination room, refusing to look behind him as he eventually reached the outside, taking off into the air. A few minutes later, he was quickly walking down the hallway towards his room, and he entered it, locking the door behind him and sitting on his bed as he finally broke down crying.

Everything he had kept bundled up inside him for the past two months was let out now as he sobbed, hugging his pillow as he sought some sort of comfort he couldn't receive. Combined with his sore throat, the boy was in severe physical and mental pain, wishing that he was anywhere but here. He didn't want to be here; he wanted to go home, he wanted to quit, he didn't want to be burdened with protecting the universe. He wanted to go back to Texas, see his mom, go to school, and just be a normal teenager. He never asked to come here; why him?

Several minutes later, the teen was cried out, sniffling and wiping his eyes with the back of his hands. For a minute, he reconsidered using the communicator to send a message to his mom or Hal Jordan, but he didn't want to seem like a complainer; besides, his mom couldn't do anything, and Hal was friends with-

Looking over a the door, he quickly got up and checked the hallway, searching for some sign of the combat officer, but it looked like Kilowog had finally gotten the message and was staying away. He had no idea why the trainer was intent on making his life a living hell, but he knew that the sooner he finished training, the happier he would be. Closing the door and re-locking it, he grabbed his dad's tape from its hiding place under his thin mattress and turning it on, lying on his bed and staring up at the ceiling.

After his dad had died, he would spend hours and hours in his room, lying on his bed and staring at the ceiling as he let the music take him away. It felt good to just let the world disappear for a while, even though he knew that eventually, he would have to re-enter reality. He didn't do it as often as he used to when he was younger, but whenever he felt sad, he'd listen to his dad's music until he felt better, and that was what he did now. It made him feel safe… almost _secure,_ in a way, as if his dad was with him again, telling him that everything would be alright…

"Even when things aren't," Sam whispered out loud as a-ha's _Take On Me_ echoed through the small room, comforting the sad teen.

* * *

Elantra couldn't believe the stroke of luck she had as she was waiting in line to charge her ring and lantern. It was that human, arguing with Kilowog, and then they both nearly got into a fight before flying off. She had quickly followed them, watching from a distance as she watched Sam break his hand, watched the officer heal his hand, then watched them argue back and forth before the teen attacked the officer, running and flying away. Even on her low ring power, she was able to follow him to his room, waiting outside the door as she sensed him crying and, eventually, heard music coming form his room.

This was what she had been waiting for; now, Sam and Kilowog were upset with one another, the teen was feeling upset and angry at the world around him, and she now knew what she needed to push him over the edge. A small plastic human device that played trivial songs for the boy's amusement. It was a piece of crap, but she could sense that the boy loved it, so all she needed to do to beat him was to destroy the device.

Or, have someone else do it for her.

* * *

**Yeah, stuff's gonna go down in the next chapter, so be ready for it.**

**For those of you that're thinking that I'm writing Kilowog as a complete jerk who's mean to everyone, remember that this is from Sam's perspective, so he doesn't really see the kinder side of the alien. Also, Elantra's pretty tricky, but she may or may not get her comeuppance in the future. This chapter's kind of like a filler before the big climax, but I figured it would be important to see how the Green Lantern Corp has taken its toll on Sam's psyche.**

**As always, follow and favorite the story or me to keep updated on new chapters, and feel free to drop a review on the chapter or story if you want.**

**Again, Happy New Year, and good luck with work and/or school!**

**-aggiefrogger**

**Also, I do NOT own a-ha's Take On Me in ANY way, shape or form!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey Readers!**

**Here it is; the chapter you've all been waiting for! The bit, dramatic part of the story that's about to change the entire flow of the plot as secrets are revealed, friends are betrayed, and it all ends with a big bang! But I'm getting ahead of myself; read the chapter for yourself, and enjoy!**

**NOTE: I am ALSO posting the next chapter [Chapter 9] along with this one today on 1/17/2020. So feel free to read on after this chapter!**

* * *

**The Breaking Point:**

**Mrs. McDormand POV:**

Mrs. McDormand was busy straightening the house (even though she didn't have much to straighten up living by herself), when the doorbell rang. Since she wasn't expecting anyone, she figured it must be a member of the Justice League to tell her something about Sam. Diana was an excellent conversationalist, and the only reason that she hadn't insisted that they take her to Oa to get her son back. Turning off the vacuum, she went to the front door, giving a small scream when she saw who it was.

Her son stood in the doorway, looking like he'd been through hell and back. For one thing, he wore only a plain t-shirt and undershorts; his shoes were gone. His hair was disheveled, and a lot longer than it had been the last time she'd seen him, and his nose looked like it'd been broken at one point. He also smelled awful, like he'd been dragged through a landfill a couple of times. But it was the look in his eyes that scared her; she hadn't seen that hollow look since his father died, and that shocked her more than the sight of her son for the first time since the beginning of summer.

"S-Sam," she gasped, mouth dropping open in shock.

"Hi mom," he said hollowly, his voice sounding like he hadn't spoken in years. "I'm home."

* * *

**Sam POV:**

The day that Sam lost control started out like a normal day. There was no warning that anything was amiss; on the contrary, when he woke up, he had a positive feeling that today was going to be good, for some reason.

Opening his eyes, he groggily sat up, yawning and stretching as his ring flew onto his hand, his uniform covering his body. A small brush construct appeared, brushing his hair to the side (it'd grown quite a bit since he'd first arrived nearly two months ago) as he walked out of his room, heading towards breakfast. Pulling up a floating watch (apparently the rings could tell time), he saw that he had about twenty minutes to eat breakfast before going to the training field for the final test, so he decided to skip it, flying straight for the field as he tried to keep his emotions calm.

He was so preoccupied, he didn't notice a small green construct keeping his door from closing all the way, nor the figure hidden in the shadows of the hall behind him.

Kilowog had graciously told them a few days ago that they had their Final Test in a week, which decided what job they would be assigned; the better they did, the better the assignment. If they failed, they would either get assigned a job here on Oa, or they would have to go through basic training all over again. Since both meant that he'd be stuck on a planet hundreds of light years away from home with the combat trainer, the teen was determined to do the best he could; _hopefully_, he'd get assigned either on Earth, or at least somewhere close by (since he was now an expert at flying through space).

Quickly stopping to charge his ring to full capacity, he landed in the training field, reading for another regular day of whatever might happen. The other Rookies, save Elantra, were already there, waiting for him; the Bolovaxian hadn't arrived yet, either.

"You're late," Uhjan told the boy as he landed next to the group.

"No I'm not," the teen protested. "We haven't started yet."

"But you're usually the first one here," Yanxa spoke up. "Which is weird, since you don't really like Kilowog, and he doesn't like you."

"I just like to make sure that he hasn't set up anything to make my life a living hell, that's all," Sam replied jokingly, covertly scanning the other Rookies with his ring.

_Real tissue detected,_ his ring's voice played in his ears; none of them were constructs.

"Good," he muttered, determined not to get tricked by another fake Lantern.

"Sorry I'm late," Elantra called out, landing a few yards away from them. "Slept in."

"That makes two of us," Max called out to her, a small smile on his lips. Ever since she'd finally opened up about being his ring's predecessor's younger sister, they'd gotten along pretty well. Sure, she had her quirks, like asking a lot of questions about him and humans, but he figured that she was just curious. Besides, she wasn't acting like she was superior to everyone, so she couldn't be that bad, and she promised not to read his mind, and so far she had kept her word. "At least You-Know-Who's not here yet!"

"Voldemort," Pzanar asked, looking interested.

Everyone turned towards the rock-loving alien. "How did you-" Sam started to say.

"Someone once brought a copy of the first book for all of us to read. That Rowling human's pretty creative."

"I know," the teen replied, wishing he could spend all day talking about Harry Potter, but a familiar voice brought them back to reality.

"Fall in, Poozers," Kilowog called, landing nearby. "Let's get ready for sparrin'!"

..

By the time their afternoon training was over, Sam was tired (like he usually was), and after a quick shower, he went to his room, ready to just turn his mind off for half an hour before going to dinner. Usually, dinner ran for about two hours each day, but he usually went near the end of the time period, just so he could rest, and recuperate, and listen to his music player...

Which was missing from its usual place underneath his mattress.

He wasn't worried at first; he probably left it under the bed, since he always moved it before going to sleep, and he recalled not putting it back before he left that morning. However, he felt his heart freeze when he didn't see his dad's gift underneath the bed. Knowing it was fruitless, he quickly examined the rest of the room, even checking under his pile of civilian clothes, but not finding anything.

"Ring," he said, holding up his right hand. "Scan the room for plastic."

A pair of green glasses covered his eyes, bringing the room into darkness. He felt the ring emitting a pulse, almost like SONAR, and the plastic on his tennis shoes and the communicator Hal had given him shone with a bright neon green, but that was it; no other plastic was in the room. Which meant that someone had taken it, and he knew exactly who it was.

"Kilowog," he muttered angrily, the glasses disappearing as he stormed towards the door.

* * *

**Kilowog POV:**

"I'm telllin' ya, once I'm finished with this group of Rookies, I'm takin' a vacation," Kilowog assured his friends.

"Somewhere warm," Guy joked, taking a bite of his meatloaf. They were currently sitting at one of the many tables in the cafeteria, eating dinner together for the first time in a long time.

"Remind me why he's here," the Bolovaxian complained.

'Well," John Stewart spoke up, the voice of reason, "you asked to speak to with Hal and I about Sam, and we figured Guy, also being a human, and closer to the boy maturity-wise, -"

"HEY!"

"- we thought that he might be able to shed light on the situation."

"How is he," Hal interrupted. "I assume well, since he hasn't sent me a message complaining about you tossing him off the planet."

"You gave him a communicator?" The pink alien shook his head. "Wow, you guys sure are paranoid about your youth! Wasn't it enough to put that tracking band around his head?"

"Can I assume he's alive, at least? I doubt his mom or the JL would like it if you've killed him."

"Yeah; broke his leg at one point, but other than that, he's intact."

"How'd he break his leg," Stewart asked.

"Happened during the survival exercise."

"The one where you take their rings and have them make their way across a desolate wasteland on their own," Guy asked. "Oh, I _hated_ you for that one! Was he angry too?"

"Yup!"

"But you still haven't answered the question," Hal cut in again, taking a bite of his salad and swallowing it before speaking again. "Which makes me think that you've dazzled him with your sunny personality."

"I'm a nice guy," the combat officer argued.

"You're about as sunny as John here," Guy said.

"What's that supposed to mean," the man in question replied, giving his fellow Lantern a stern glare.

"Nothing," the joking Lantern said quickly, shivering in his green leather jacket, looking everywhere but at his friend. "I was just… but we're here to ask about Sam. I think we can all agree that you probably didn't go easy on him during training, and you probably ostracized him throughout the whole process, like you did with us. Now, he's probably pissed off at you, and once again, you've come for us for advice on what to do."

"There is no way you of all people could know that," the alien replied, eyes narrowed in suspicion. "And I didn't ask _you_ to come, so I doubt you know much about the situation."

"Knock it off, both of you," Hal interjected. "I think we can all agree that even Kilowog needs help sometimes; I know I and John have helped him a few times for the past few months to make sure he wasn't too hard on Sam. But if we're just going to argue about what Guy knows and doesn't know, then we might as well leave."

Kilowog and Guy glared at each other for a moment before finally nodding. "Fine," the Bolovaxian said.

"Now," John spoke up, "why are we here?"

Kilowog picked at his tray of food before speaking up. "So… you all hated me at one point, right?"

The three humans exchanged confused looks. "Is this a loaded question," Guy asked.

"No, I'm being serious."

"Then… yes. I think we could all say that we disliked you at first, but now we're friends."

"Why do you ask," Hal questioned.

"Because, as you know, at some point or another," the officer continued, "you stopped hating me and started respecting me as your trainer and superior, and then eventually we became friends." He hesitated before continuing. "By now, Sam should have been at the part where he doesn't hate me, but at least tolerates me somewhat. He still strongly dislikes me, for some reason."

"Have you done anything more than what we told you to do when it comes to training," John asked.

"No… Well… I _may_ have created a fake Ch'p construct that he thought was the real thing, and then he broke his hand trying to break a construct of mine." He looked down at his food as he waited for the hammer to fall. "And maybe mocked him with his family history that you told me about."

"Woah, dude," Guy told him, not sounding joking for once. "That's… a bit much."

"I agree," Hal added. "What were you thinking?"

"I dunno," the combat officer said exasperatedly, confused himself as to why he was sometimes too tough on the boy. "He's a smartass some of the time-"

"So am I," Guy interrupted, "but you've never did anything like that to me!"

"And Ch'p was his first friend here," Hal added. "So I can't believe that you would do something like that. And you knew his dad- Did you mention his dad dying to him?"

"He insulted my entire race dying once," the Bolovaxian argued.

"But you're older and more mature; he's just a child," John Stewart interrupted. "His mind and body is currently changing, and for him to be chosen as a Lantern at this age is the worst thing that could probably happen to him. That's why we've been trying to help you so you don't make things worse for him. We get that you have a reputation to upkeep, and that you still need to train him, but you've gone above and beyond to mess with him, and you wonder why he doesn't respect you?"

Kilowog sighed, still looking down at his tray. Stewart was right; he was usually right 99% of the time. Looking back at all he'd done to the kid, it was no wonder he hadn't noticed how much of a jerk he was. Even though he wasn't exactly the nicest guy, besides towards his friends, he wasn't usually as ruthless towards any Rookie as he was with Sam. "Fine," he eventually spoke up, looking up at the human trio. "So what do I do? Apologize? He'd probably think it was some sort of trick."

"You must've messed him up pretty bad," Guy told him.

"Now we don't know that," Hal said, coming to his friend's defense, probably ready with some solution to the problem.

"Well, seeing as how said child is storming across the cafeteria straight towards us, I don't think he's here to talk about the weather," the red-haired human retorted, jerking his head to the side.

The four seasoned Lanterns turned to see Sam heading straight towards them, walking briskly across the room, eyes narrowed at Kilowog, fists clenched. Determined not to end up covered in food again, the alien pressed both hands down on the sides of his tray, ready to prevent it from flying in the air. The boy stopped in front of their table, ignoring the other humans as he stared at the trainer.

"Where is it," he asked, his voice low and menacing.

Kilowog blinked in surprised. "I don't know what you're-"

Apparently, the kid had noticed his hands on the tray, so instead of making the tray fly, he made the Bolovaxian's head move. Feeling like someone pushed him from behind, Kilowog's head slammed forward, his face hitting the tray of food and breaking his nose. The thud of the alien's face hitting the table caused everyone in the vicinity to turn around, and for Guy to give a, _"Ow!"_ of sympathy, though he was stifling a laugh as well.

Now angry, the food-covered alien whirled towards the boy. "What the hell do ya think you're-"

"Shut up," the boy snapped loudly, glaring at him, ring glowing on his finger. "Don't play dumb, Hippo-head. I'm tired of the same bullshit everyday, but I kept my mouth shut and my head down. I get that you don't like me, but now you've crossed the line. So I'll ask you again: _Where. Is. My. Music. Player?_"

The officer Lantern stared at him, not only stunned by the impact of face-planting his dinner, but also by how angry the boy looked. He'd seen Sam look angry during training sessions whenever he added a new twist to the exercise or used the human as his practice dummy, but the teen looked enraged, as if he were a volcano about to erupt.

"Uh, hi," Guy spoke up, trying to lighten the mood. "Guy Gardner; Greatest Human Lantern of All-Time-"

_"Excuse me,"_ Hal spoke up.

"WHERE IS IT," Sam screamed, now catching the attention of the whole room around him. "I know you took it! It NEVER leaves my room, and after I get mad at you and knocked you to the ground, you take it out of retaliation?!"

"I didn't take your… whatever it is," Kilowog said, trying to get control of the situation. "And as for your tone, Poozer-"

"I'M NOT A POOZER," the teen screamed, somehow going up a few decibels (it was a miracle his voice didn't give out). "MY NAME IS SAM, WHICH YOU KNOW, AND IF I HEAR THAT WORD ONE MORE TIME, I'LL RIP YOUR FREAKING HEAD OFF!" Well, he didn't exactly say 'freaking', but it was shocking to hear that word come out of the boy's mouth

You could hear a pin drop. Most of the Lanterns in the room went through training with Kilowog, and they remembered feeling the same way the boy was feeling. However, none of them had ever snapped and gone off on the Bolovaxian like that, and they wondered what was wrong with the kid. Probably because he's young, some probably thought, while others might assume it was Kilowog's fault. However, Kilowog knew that while he was hard on the boy (for the sake of making him a good Lantern), he would never stoop so low as to steal something from him.

"I think we should all calm down," John Stewart started to say, trying to diffuse the situation. "Wherever this player of yours is, we'll help-"

"Oh, you've helped enough," Sam continued, now turning on the three human Lanterns. "Who else would've told him about my past? He knows about my family life, my dead dad, my mom struggling to put food on the table… as if _I didn't already know!_ As if becoming a Green Lantern's gonna instantly solve all of my problems! He had _no right_ to know that! You three had _no right_ to tell him!"

"I just came along today," Guy said, throwing his hands up in surrender.

"But none of you would steal from me," the teen added, turning back to the Bolovaxian. "But _you_… you who has made every day of my life for the past two months HELL… you _would_ stoop that low! If you're this much of a jerk, it's no wonder that someone wiped out the rest of your species; we'd all be a lot happier and better off if you had died with them!"

Hal had once told him about human arcade machines; put in a quarter, and the machine is instantly alive with an automatic response of lights, sounds, and the promise of winning a prize. Kilowog was no better than one of those machines as his fist shot out, hitting the boy in the nose and knocking him backwards, sending him tumbling to the floor. A collective gasp filled the room, as if the group of Green Lanterns were all a group of curious children, waiting to see what would happen next. The three human Lanterns were instantly on their feet, ready to diffuse the situation if necessary, but Kilowog still sat in his seat, staring down at the boy who sat up, feeling his broken and bloodied nose. Then, glaring at the pink alien, he got to his feet, turning on his heel and started walking towards the exit, all eyes on him. Kilowog and the other still sat at their table, staring after him, before the he stood up.

"Don't," John told him, getting up as well, looking ready to hold him back. "Don't get mad-"

"I ain't mad," the pink alien told them, food bits and blood still covering his face. "I'm gonna end this. Right now."

"We're coming to," Hal added, climbing to his feet and following the other two Lanterns toward the exit.

"Yeah, I'll catch up," Guy told them, grabbing Hal's slice of pizza off his tray and taking a bite. "Be there in a bit!"

* * *

**Sam POV:**

Sam landed in the empty training field, his nose throbbing with pain. By now, it had stopped bleeding (thankfully), but he didn't care about his nose right now; he was currently planning on the best way of taking out Kilowog.

His anger was like a volcano; slowly building up, and he was surprised he hadn't snapped and attacked the officer instead of walking out. He wanted to hit something, right now, and he created a punching bag construct, starting to attack it with no form or care whatsoever.

_He took it,_ he thought to himself, punching the bag with all his might. _I __**know**__ he did! Who else would've taken it?_

"Sam?"

The boy whirled around, ready to attack, but held off when he saw Elantra standing a few yards away.

"Oh," he said simply, lowering his ring as his construct faded behind him. "Sorry; thought you were Kilowog."

"I know," she told him, standing at attention, hands behind her back, which was unlike her, since she only stood like that when Kilowog was around. The teen quickly looked behind him, searching for some sign of the officer, but saw none.

"So," he continued, turning back to her, "what's up? If you're here to spar, I'm not really in the mood to-"

"I know you're not in the mood," she said, reading his mind again (he had no idea why she was doing so after he'd asked her not to). "I know you're mad at Kilowog because you think he took your music player."

"I don't think, I _know,_" he told her, a bit of his old anger returning. "And stop reading my mind! I'm not in the mood to-" He cut off as he noticed something about the bright yellow alien.

She was smiling.

Okay… Kilowog took his music player, and now Elantra was smiling like everything was alright. What was going on with the world today? "What's… uh, what's with the smile," he asked her, a sense of uneasiness filling his chest.

"You're about to find out," she told him, bringing her hands out from behind her back, revealing what she had been hiding behind her back.

His dad's music player.

Sam didn't care why or how she had the player, but he moved forward, opening his mouth to ask for it back, when he suddenly stopped. Frowning, he tried to take a step forward, but he couldn't move his limbs; he was a statue. At least he was, until his legs suddenly took a step back on their own accord, and his head lifted to stare at Elantra, who was giving him that sadistic grin again.

"Now," she said, glaring at him as she held the music player loosely in her hand, "let's you and I have a talk, shall we?"

"SAM!"

The teen heard a familiar voice call his name, followed by the sound of three Lanterns landing behind him; he tried to turn around, but his head wouldn't move, nor could he open his mouth to say anything.

"Sam," he heard Hal Jordan speak up. "We've come to-" His voice suddenly cut off, and he heard three gasps before silence. Again, the boy tried to turn his head to see what was happening, but he couldn't. However, there was no doubt in his mind that Kilowog, Hal and whoever else was back there was probably stuck in place, unable to move.

_But they're fully-fledged Lanterns,_ he thought. _They could use their wills to-_

"No they can't," Elantra spoke out loud. "My mind is too powerful for them." She looked at someone over his shoulder. "I suppose you thought my species lost their mental powers, Sir? After we lost the war, we all had to receive that operation that made us like everyone else in the universe. Well, let's just say that I'm grateful for my parents for hiding me long enough to avoid that procedure." Sam had no idea what she was talking about, but probably reading his mind, she turned back to him.

"You humans really are _stupid,_" she told him, tossing the music player into the air before catching it, as if taunting him. "I'm surprised I didn't have to work so hard in coming up with a believable story! Swet'llanga's not my sister; she's not even the same _species_ as me! And as for being a child-" She laughed a little at that. "I'm surprised that you even believed that!"

"Why are you doing this," the teen wanted to ask, but his mouth still wouldn't work, though he could move his eyes around and breathe through his nose.

"You're probably wondering why I'm doing this," the other Rookie continued, starting to slowly pace in front of the four Lanterns. "To put it simply; I want to be the best Green Lantern, and I'll do whatever it takes to do so. This human child here was in the way, so I had to make sure I came out on top. I was just lucky that you, who didn't want to be here, never did your research on your ring's predecessor, which makes this better for me! Know that I'm telling you all of this because I'm proud of how things worked out for me, so listen up before I crush your device." The boy gasped on the inside as she mockingly pretended to drop the device, laughing at him the whole time. Kilowog and the others didn't do or say anything, probably still trapped where they stood by her mind.

"You see, where I'm from, we don't have much honor or anything good going for us; we were once a powerful species, using our minds to help ourselves grow stronger and better than everyone else! But that was before the war; now, we are nothing special. We are like everyone else, which is something we could not have. So when my ring chose me, I knew that I would have to be the best Lantern that ever lived to do my people proud. And, with my mental abilities, I was determined to do whatever it took to come out on top.

"I was the best in the group at first, until some pathetic human child who whined and bitched about being here suddenly grew stronger, realizing his potential with the ring. We've heard of your human Lanterns on my planet," she added, staring at someone behind Sam. "Think you're the best Lanterns to ever grace the universe! You're full of problems and flaws, but there was only one I was concerned with: while you're weak on your own , your brains are practically strong, so I couldn't read them and determine what I needed to do to stop you. It was easier with Kilowog; just let his ego and dislike for you let him work you harder than everyone else, though he needed some prodding along the way. He _had_ to be hard on you, because you remind him of his dead son that he couldn't save."

Sam heard a sharp intake of breath from behind him, and figured that now, NOW, the trainer would break free from his invisible bonds and take Elantra out. But seconds later, the teen's hoped diminished a little when no one rushed past him to take the neon yellow alien out. He stared at the female in shock, wondering how long she'd pushed Kilowog to be hard on him and torture him. _Then_ he wondered if she did the same thing to him, and he felt his heartbeat quicken.

"Fortunately," Elantra continued, tossing the plastic music player from hand to hand, "with a bit of storytelling, I was able to get you to lower your mental defenses down enough for me to get in. And you had SO much to give me; a broken family, a dead father, and a history of bullying that nearly cost you your life when you were eight."

Sam stared in shock at her, his cheeks red as he realized Kilowog and the others behind him were hearing about his personal life, as well as shocked by her statement. It comforted him somewhat that they probably knew these facts about him already, but he still cringed on the inside, not wanting to talk about it.

"But I decided to use your dislike for Kilowog to get what I want," the yellow alien added. "It wasn't hard; just the occasional mental prod in both of your directions, building up the animosity between the two of you, knowing that one of you would eventually push the other one too far, and then you'd take each other down while I soared to new heights. But about a week ago, after an argument between you two, Sam went back to his room, cried for a few minutes about his pathetic life, and then pulled out this." She held up the device for all to see. "It was his dad's; one of the last things he gave his son before getting killed in a drunk driving accident a few years ago. Pretty useless, as far as gifts go, but you made the mistake of getting attached to this device." Looking over at the teen, she walked towards him, stopping a foot away from him, holding the plastic device in front of his nose.

"But now, my plan is complete," Elantra said proudly, giving him a cruel smile. "Stealing may be against the rules, but mental manipulation isn't, so I can't get in trouble for that. Though I figure that you'll probably try to take me in and arrest me, so I'll be going soon; I'll still be a Lantern, I assure you, but I sure won't be wearing green!" She knelt down in front of him, staring into his eyes.

"You're probably wondering why I decided to break your spirit in this way" she said. "I could've shut down your motor functions so you couldn't move, but that would've been too suspicious if a healthy human like yourself suddenly stopped working. But, to put it simply… it was fun! But not as fun as what's about to happen next."

Sam's eyes widened in panic, and he tried in vain to move his body so he could stop her before she broke his only memento from his dad, but failed. Probably sensing his effort, Elantra laughed. "Oh, Sam," she told him. "I'm not going to destroy your silly machine." She waved one of her arms, and the teen's mirrored hers, his right hand now outstretched towards her. "_You _are."

_No,_ the boy thought, his panic level jumping from an eight to an eight million as she placed the device in his hand, watching his fingers close around it. _No NO NO!_ Why wasn't anyone coming to help him?! He couldn't let this happen; he COULDN'T. He tried again, sweat beading on his forehead, to fight against his own body, which was kneeling down on the ground, the machine still in his hand. Elantra, meanwhile, watched with avid interest, that same demented smile on her face. He kept trying to something, ANYTHING, to prevent his dad's gift to him from being destroyed.

_I will not break it._ His arm raised to send it crashing to the ground, a few tears rolling from his open eyes. _I will not break it! I WILL NOT BREAK IT! I WILL NOT BREAK IT! I WILL NOT-_

"What's going on," a new voice spoke up. "Why's everyone kneeling on the ground?"

Elantra quickly looked up at whoever had spoken, and her concentration must've broken at that moment, because the teen was able to fall forward, in control of his limbs again; he heard a few more thuds behind him, and figured that the other Lanterns were probably free as well.

"STOP HER," he gasped, hugging the machine to his chest. "STOP-"

Suddenly, a green gas covered the space, making the field, the planet, and the sky disappear. Now that he could move again, Sam scrambled to his feet, ring ready to fight as he tried to squint through the fog. He was just about to make a fan construct, ready to blow the smog away so he could see, when someone slammed into him from behind, knocking him over and sending the machine tumbling from his hands. It clattered to the ground, but didn't break, lying a foo or two away from him. He was about to reach out and grab it when Elantra suddenly appeared over him, looking furious. Then, raising her foot, she stomped down on the machine.

_"NOOO!"_

There was nothing else he could do or say; she probably was controlling him again, preventing him from moving, or it was his own horror that kept his eyes glued to the rogue alien as she stomped on his dad's present again. The crack of the plastic seemed to echo around him, and the tape inside was crushed, bits of plastic and metal flying from the device with every stomp of her foot. Finally, however, she stopped, gave him a cruel smile, and took off into the air, flying through the fog. A few seconds later, the green fog disappeared.

"After her," someone yelled, and the teen vaguely saw someone from his peripheral taking off into the air as well, quickly followed by a red-haired individual. But he didn't care about Elantra, or who else was around him, or even were he was. All he could focus on was what was left of his machine.

It was flattened like a pancake; no doubt that the bright yellow alien used a construct on her foot to increase the power of each stomp. Pieces of plastic and bits of metal were scattered around the main pile, and parts of the old cassette tape ribbon were visible. Crawling forward, Sam picked up one of the pieces of the demolished machine, staring at it as if it were something else. It was something else now; it no longer was a music player. Even though he wasn't an expert, he knew that it was beyond repair, and the special mixtape his dad had made so many years ago was no more.

" … Sam," he heard someone say from behind him. Hal Jordan. "Sam… I… I can't-"

"I'm sorry," another voice spoke up. Kilowog. "We should have-"

The boy blocked out both of their voices, hunching over the pieces as more tears started to flow from his face. He was shaking so bad, he had to put his hands on the ground, on either side of the pile of pieces, in order to steady himself. His breathing deepened, and his ring felt hot on his finger, as if it was going to explode; so did the band on the back of his head. If he hadn't been chosen, he wouldn't have come here; he wouldn't have met Elantra or Kilowog; he wouldn't have been beaten down again and again and again; he wouldn't have gotten stronger than Elantra and she wouldn't have come after him; and his dad's gift would still be-

It was too much; he could feel the pain in his chest growing, like a balloon expanding in his ribs, and was it his imagination, or was the ground shaking a little as well? His ring was starting to burn, itching to be used, and the metal band around his head was starting to tremble as well. The pile of pieces beneath him started to tremble as well. Then, when the pain had reached its crescendo, he took a deep breath, opened his hands,

and screamed.

* * *

**Hal POV:**

The blast that came from the teen was like an atom bomb.

Kilowog and Hal were thrown back by the force of it, flying nearly two football fields away as a bright green glow, the brightest either of them had ever seen, took over their vision. Even passing Lanterns flying above them at the moment were tossed aside like rag dolls, blinded by the light as well. But that was nothing compared to the sound coming from the source of the green. Lanterns back in the cafeteria several miles away heard it; a long, drawn out, pained scream, amplified so that several covered their ears, and looking out, saw a bright pillar of green light coming from somewhere in the distance.

Hal tried to get to his feet, but whatever wind was coming from Sam's construct (_was_ it a construct?) was so powerful, he couldn't get to his feet, and flying was out of the question. But he needed to do something; whatever was happening, it wasn't normal. He also didn't know how long the teen could keep this up, and-

Suddenly, the green light intensified, and the man shut his eyes as the scream somehow got louder, becoming the only sound they could hear. Then, it stopped. It simply stopped, and the silence that followed seemed more deafening than the scream from before. Now able to move, the Lantern opened his eyes, looking at where the source of light was.

The light and noise were gone, and so was the boy; all that was left was a scorched circle on the ground, perfectly round and even. For a crazy second, he thought that the teen had somehow blown up, but then he noticed the fading trail of green dust that shot straight up; also, if the kid had died, his ring would still be intact, flying off to find a new owner. Looking into the sky, he noticed something like a green star slowly getting smaller, already disappearing from view. He'd never seen anyone fly that fast, and even if he were to leave now, he would be unable to catch up.

Looking back at the ground, he saw Kilowog stumbling to his feet, staring up at the sky, as well as other Lanterns who'd been to close to the blast getting to their feet as well, turning towards him and the trainer, obviously wondering what the heck just happened. If he was being honest, Hal didn't know what just happened either, but he was certain of one thing as he bent down, picking up the twisted and melted remains of the tracking band.

Samuel McDormand was no longer on Oa.

* * *

**Wow! What a chapter!**

**Yeah, so now Sam's basically gone, and with his anger, as well as a power ring that's not fully charged, he's in for some pretty interesting times!**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter, along with the story so far! As always, feel free to follow and favorite the story if you want to be updated on new chapters and so on, and feel free to leave a review on the chapter if you want.**

**I hope you all have a great and safe weekend, and feel free to read the next chapter, which I also posted today!**

**-aggiefrogger**

**Note: I do NOT own Harry Potter or Voldemort in ANY way, shape or form!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Welcome back, Readers!**

**Usually, I don't post multiple chapters in one story on the same day, but since you guys are awesome readers (as well as already tired from school and/or work), I figured you deserved this before the weekend!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Homeward Bound:**

_Space:_

How long?

How long had he been flying?

How long had it been since he left Oa? Maybe several hours; it was hard to tell in space.

Sam was only focused on just flying straight ahead, putting as much distance between himself and Oa. The memory of what had happened was still fresh him his mind, and some tears still leaked form his eyes as he shot through space, going faster than he'd ever gone before. He had no idea what had happened _after_ he screamed; all he remembered was a bright green light, and then the next thing he knew, he was flying through space, Oa a shrinking speck in the distance. All he knew what that Elantra had betrayed him, Kilowog was still a jerk, and his music player-

A sob slipped out from his mouth as he thought about the pile of plastic and metal; the only reminder of his dad that he had.

_Ring power at three percent_, his ring's voice suddenly spoke up, and Sam yelped at that, pausing mid-flight to stare at the ring on his finger, which was glowing faintly as it was running out of juice.

_Two percent_.

"Please," he begged, his voice still sore from yelling. "Let me make it… let me live… _please…_"

_One percent_.

His outfit flickered, and he stopped flying, staring in horror as the green material and glow that surrounded him started to fade, revealing his skin and the t-shirt he was wearing underneath his uniform, along with his undershorts. He suddenly noticed how quiet it was around him, the vacuum of space so great, even sound couldn't escape, much less him.

"No…" he whispered, and then he couldn't breathe. Nothing came into his nose or his mouth, which he clamped shut to keep in air. But it was cold… _so_ cold… even his skin was turning pale, becoming icy. He thought he saw something grey fly by, and wondered if it was a rescue ship or something.

_Please_, he thought desperately, feeling himself black out, the cold growing too much to bear…

..

Sam woke with a gasp, some foreign liquid being splashed on his face.

Sputtering, he squinted in the sunlight, wondering where he was, or if he was even still alive. His body felt warm, so far from the cold vacuum of space, that for a second, he wondered if he was in Heaven.

"Wake up, ya bastitch! I ain't got all day!"

The teen sat up with a start, figuring that he must be alive, since no angel would sound like that. Wiping his eyes, he caught the scent of alcohol and cigar smoke, coughing a little. Then, his eyes fully opened, he froze, staring at a pair of large black boots and jeans. His eyes travelled upward, finally resting on the annoyed face of the last Czarnian.

The alien had pale white skin, like he'd been covered with flour, and it contrasted heavily with the sleeveless black leather jacket he wore. The guy was tall, maybe seven feet or so, and muscular as well. He had crazy, long, jet black hair, and blood red eyes surrounded by diamond-shaped patches of black. The man smiled, revealing sharp teeth as he took a long drag of his cigar.

"He lives," the alien says in a deep, gravelly voice. "I thought I might've accidentally killed ya; wouldn'ta been tha' first time I'd accidentally killed someone, though!"

"W-W-What," Sam said, staggering to his feet, noticing that he was just in his underwear and t-shirt (which was soaked with beer), though he still wore his ring, which looked like a regular ring without any power. Looking around, he saw that he was on a brightly-colored planet full of large fauna and had a peach-colored sky. He then turned back to the man, noticing that his throat was no longer sore. "Who are-"

"Of course," the man exclaimed loudly, flicking the cigar off to the side. "You ain't never met the Main Man before! My name's Lobo, the greatest guy you'll ever meet, and the greatest bounty hunter in tha' universe!" The way the alien spoke, along with his wild expression and hair, gave off a demented and crazy personality to the boy, who tentatively shook his hand (Lobo shook it so hard, Sam was surprised his arm didn't become dislocated).

"H-Hi. I'm Sam. Sam McDormand." He looked around at the planet, rubbing his now sore arm. "Where are we?"

"Uasinarah," the alien replied, pulling out a large knife from his pocket and starting to pick his teeth with it. "Nearest place with air you could breathe. Lucky the Space Dolphins got to me in time-"

"Space Dolphins," Sam asked, still looking at the planet around him.

"Yeah. I owed 'em a favor, so when they asked me to save some Green Lantern that was dyin' in tha' middle of space, I was like, 'Sure! Why the hell not?'" Lobo looked the boy over, not impressed. "You look mighty young for a Green Lantern."

"Tell me about it," the boy muttered, relieved that the Space Dolphins, whoever they were, sent someone to help him, even if this Lobo person _was_ crazy. "I ran away from Oa." He was also surprised by his answer, but he assumed it was true; he had no plans on going back.

"Did you, now," the man asked, surprise covering his pale face. "Well, ain't that somethin'?"

"So… now what," the boy asked quickly, trying to avoid another topic change while looking around him. "Am I stuck here now, or-"

"Nah. The dolphins asked me ta take ya whereva ya wanted to go… within reason, that is," he said, tossing his knife but missing it, the tip impaling itself in his wrist. "Don't worry," he said, pulling it out of his skin and causing a spray of blood to fly out with it, "it'll heal. Now, where was it you was wantin' to go, 'cause I gotta bounty on some Bastitch and I ain't got all fraggin' day!"

The teen stared in horror at the alien's arm, which was already starting to heal, but it was still disgusting to watch. For a second, he nearly said Oa, but then painfully remembered what had transpired, and how he'd decided not to go back.

"Earth," he said confidently, staring at the alien dead in the eye. "I'd like to go to Earth, please."

* * *

..

* * *

_Oa:_

Guy Gardner, Hal Jordan Ch'p and Tomar waited in one of the unused medical bay rooms, looking up when the door slid open, revealing John Stewart and Kilowog.

"Well," Hal asked.

"Went about as well as we expected," John told the group as the Bolovaxian walked over to the window, looking out the window instead of everyone else.. "The Guardians heard our story, and they said we have to bring Sam back. They also said that every Lantern needs to be on alert for Elantra, and to bring her in for punishment."

"Sounds about right," Ch'p commented. "Based on what Hal and Guy told us, it makes sense that they wouldn't do anything more; neither seem to be a threat to the planet, but both are apparently too powerful to be left alone."

"I still can't believe how fast he took off," Tomar commented, having been one of the Lanterns that was flying overhead when Sam let the power surge loose. "Has he ever shown any signs of being that fast in training, Kilowog?"

They turned over to the pink alien, who didn't seem to have noticed any of them, continuing to stare out the window.

"Okay," Guy said. "Looks like someone's spaced out!"

"I can hear you," the combat officer growled.

"Then help us," John told him. "Sam was under your care, and-"

Without warning, Kilowog suddenly roared angrily, grabbed the nearby bed and tossing it across the room, nearly knocking the squirrel-like alien out of the air. It slammed into the wall, breaking apart at the joints and crashing to the ground. Everyone turned towards the pink alien, wary of what he might do next.

"IT'S MY FAULT," the Bolovaxian yelled, fists clenched in rage. "HE _WAS_ UNDAH MY CARE! I DON'T CARE WHAT ELANTRA SAID; WHETHA' SHE MESSED WITH MY HEAD OR NOT, I STILL DROVE SAM TOO FAR! _I'M_ THE REASON HE'S CURRENTLY LOST IN SPACE RIGHT NOW!"

"Kilowog," Hal started, holding up his hands. "Calm down, it's not-"

"IT _IS _MY FAULT," the Lantern interrupted, kicking a stray piece of the bed aside. "_I'M_ THE ONE THAT PICKED ON HIM AND CALLED HIM OUT AND BEAT HIM DOWN! _I'M_ THE ONE THAT CAUSED HIM TO LOSE CONTROL LIKE THAT! I EVEN MADE UP THAT FAKE CH'P CONSTRUCT TO MESS WITH HIS HEAD AND EMBARRASS HIM, _AND_ CAUSED HIM TA BREAK HIS OWN HAND!"

"You _what,_" Ch'p asked, gaping at the Lantern in disbelief.

"_I'M_ THE ONE THAT SCREWED UP! THE GUARDIANS SHOULDA PUNISHED _ME_ FOR ALL THE TIMES I KNOCKED HIM DOWN AND-"

"KILOWOG," Tomar shouted, his barking order cutting off the pink alien's tirade, and everyone turned in surprise towards the usually soft-spoken alien. "You need to calm down," the beaked alien told him, walking over to his old training buddy. "Don't you see that Elantra obviously said what she said in order to mess with you? She wants you to feel guilty for what happened with Sam, even though it wasn't your fault."

"But I-"

"No buts, as humans would say," the Green Lantern interrupted, holding up his hand for silence. "You and Hal and John have all told me what she told you; she twisted your mind to do that stuff to him. You had no idea that she was messing with you."

"I still chose to listen to those promptings and take out my anger on him," the Bolovaxian interjected.

"But you're sorry for what you did, right?"

"Wha-" The officer looked a little taken aback by the question. "O-Of _course_ I am-"

"Then stop acting like a pathetic Poozer and start focusing on finding Sam," Tomar told him sternly. "Apologize to him for what you did; he also heard what Elantra said, so he now knows that you both were influenced by her. Tossing beds across the room and throwing fits won't help you feel any better, nor will it help us find Sam." He crossed his arms, glaring up at his friend. "Do we understand?"

Everyone stared at the beaked alien in shock, not expecting _him,_ out of everyone in the group, to be the one to slap some sense into Kilowog. Tomar was usually the calm one, even in a battle, and everyone waited to see how the Bolovaxian would react to being called out.

The pink alien stared down at his old Rookie friend, silent for a long time. Then, he unclenched his fists, slowly nodding and looking down at the ground. "You… You're right." He looked back up at the rest of the group. "I'm sorry everyone… I just-"

"It's fine," John assured him. "You've probably been under her influence so far, it may take a while for your anger to disappear. Plus we're all worried about Sam; his tracking band was destroyed when he lost control."

"I guess you're right," Kilowog replied. "I'm just glad I didn't take one of you out."

"You didn't," Hal added. "But I agree with Tomar that you should probably apologize to Sam, though, which brings me to this." He held up his ring, creating a map of space, showing Oa and all the nearest planets within 100 light years. "How far could he have gotten?"

"Not very far," Ch'p supplied, floating up to the map. "We looked at reports, and he last charged his ring this morning, and based on that explosion of his, he's was probably at 47% power capacity when he left. Based on that, along with the speed he was flying, assuming he didn't slow down, he could have traveled no more than thirty-five light years away, meaning-" The alien created a green ring, surrounding part of the map. "- he's somewhere in this region. He's not dead, or else his ring would've found someone else, so he must be on one of these planets, but probably without any power; we found his personal lantern in his room, so we know he hasn't recharged his ring."

"How many of them have breathable air?"

"12."

"We should also let his mother and the Justice League know," John spoke up. "Just in case he managed to find a way to Earth."

"How," Ch'p asked.

"Sneak onto a ship going by Earth," Guy suggested. "Would've saved his ring power, and then he flies home once he gets close enough to the planet. Besides, his mom deserves to know in case he's-"

"He'd not dead," Hal said firmly, glaring at his fellow Lantern. "We _will_ find him. Understand?" He looked around the group, and one by one, they nodded their assent. "The Guardians have sent replacements to our sectors until we find Sam, so we'll split up into pairs and search one planet after another, cooperating with their police forces to aid in the search."

"Then let's go," Kilowog said determinedly, leaping to his feet and heading towards the door.

"We should probably let the Guardians know the plan first," Hal suggested. "And choose who searches with who."

The pink alien nodded. "Understood. But I _will_ find him." He glanced over at the pieces of the bed, holding out his ring and repairing the basic damage to the piece of furniture. "And I _will_ make things right."

* * *

..

* * *

_Gormar, a few days later:_

Ch'p and Tomar flew over one of the many cities that covered the planet, their rings scanning for the DNA of Sam McDormand amidst the crowds of aliens that packed the streets. Nothing yet. They and several other Lanterns not on duty were searching the nearby planets, but after four days they hadn't yet found the boy (though they'd only searched eight of the twelve planets). Each planet was larger than Earth, so it took them some time to cover the whole surface, not to mention having to break up several fights and riots happening in various cities.

"Thanks," Tomar said, lowering his ring from his mouth before turning to the other Lantern. "Still no news from anyone, but we got the same message from Earth; their Justice League went to visit his mom, and she said she hadn't seen him, and had to be calmed down when she learned what had happened. Of course, with the amount of power left in his ring, and given his average speed, I doubt he made it back to Earth."

"Do we charge his ring when we find him," Ch'p asked, waiting for some indication from his ring that the kid had been found.

"I would not," the other alien said, always the voice of reason when things were tough. "If he is upset, he might lash out and attack us. This way, we'll have the upper hand."

"He's not a bad guy," the squirrel-like alien said indignantly.

"So why are we hunting him like he is," the bird-beaked alien responded, giving the small creature a pointed glance. Ch'p sighed; Tomar was right about a lot of things, but it got annoying at times. He was about to retort when the alien froze, squinting at the ground. "There is a disturbance." Following his gaze, the tiny alien saw a group of several aliens brawling outside of a pub, seeming to be piling on top of one person.

"Let's go." They both zoomed down towards the scuffle, their bodies glowing to announce their presence. Some of the aliens scattered, but most of them continued to fight, hitting and pulling at one another, yelling indiscernible insults and threats.

"Break it up," Ch'p yelled, creating a giant hand that started picking up individual creatures and tossing them aside. Now some of them stopped fighting, cowed by the sight of the two Lanterns. They quickly scattered, leaving the person at the bottom of the pile lying in the road. The guy was a mess; his arms were broken, and his face was busted up, but as they watched, his body started to heal, and he sat up with a yell.

"THOSE FRAGGIN' BASTITCHES," Lobo roared, looking around the area and pulling out his signature chain and hook. "COME BACK HERE YA COWARDLY SH-"

He noticed the two Green Lanterns floating nearby, and he chuckled darkly, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Lookie what we got here! A couple of green boys here to save tha' day!"

"Hello, Lobo," Tomar said coolly, crossing his arms. "Causing trouble again?"

"Hell no! Those bastitches jumped _me_," the Czarnian said loudly, staggering a little; the smell of alcohol and smoke was strong on him, so it didn't take much for the two Lanterns to deduce what he'd been doing before the brawl.

"Sure they did," Ch'p said sarcastically. "_Unprovoked_."

"You shut your mouth before I turn you into a hat," Lobo snarled.

"Calm yourself, Lobo. We have no trouble with you; our concerns are elsewhere at the moment."

"Yeah," the smallest alien said defiantly, though a little shaken from the hat comment. "Go bounty hunting or whatever miserable job you do to keep yourself drunk all the time."

"I ain't drunk," the pale alien sputtered, staggering a little closer towards the two aliens. "I'm _pissed!_ I help one of you's, and I loose my bounty to some fraggin' bastitch! _550,000 CREDITS! _I'd've been rich!" He started to wrap up the chain in his hand, looking like he wanted to hit something again and again until it broke.

Tomar rolled his eyes. "We do not recall you helping us since Atrocitus' attack several cycles ago."

"Nah, not that, though that was somethin'! I helped some wimpy human Lantern get to Earth. Made me late catchin' that bastich with 550,000 creds on his head! Be grateful I ain't askin' _you_ or dem Goody Two-Shoes Guardians to reimburse me for my bike's gas!"

The two Green Lanterns froze, their eyes widening with shock. They quickly glanced at one another, the same thought crossing their minds. "Did he look like this," Ch'p demanded, creating a pretty accurate construct of Sam.

Lobo squinted at the construct, swaying a little. If he weren't drunk, he would've noticed that the two Lanterns looked desperate to know his answer, and could have blackmailed them for credits. But he nodded, burped loudly, and said, "Yep, dat's him. Space Dolphins said I should save him, and since I owed them, I rescued the kid. Found him floating in space, wearin' nothing but his underwear; nearly died too! Took him to a planet to revive him, then took him to some place on Earth called Tax-as, or somethin'." The man turned back to the bar. "Now, if you two fraggers excuse me, I gotta get me somethin' ta drink!" The two Lanterns watched him amble back into the bar before turning to one another.

"Is he lying?"

"I doubt it. He was pretty inebriated, and not in a state to lie," Tomar said, thinking over what the Czarnian said. "His mental defense were down, and I doubt he'd lie about Sam without anything to gain. Besides, he mentioned someplace on Earth called-"

"Tax-es, but I think he meant Texas, which is where Sam's from," Ch'p said, bringing his ring to his mouth. "Hal? Kilowog? I think we found him, but you might wanna bring your Lanterns with you; we're going to Earth."

* * *

..

* * *

_Meanwhile, at the Headquarters of the Sinestro Corp:_

"Sir," the yellow Lantern spoke up. "The deserter claims she has some news you might want to hear."

"Send her in," Sinestro ordered, and the alien nodded, going over to the door and opening it, letting the newest member of the Yellow Lanterns inside.

Elantra looked powerful in her new uniform; the yellow of the uniform was a darker shade than her skin, and the determined smile on her face made her a welcomed addition to the Corp. "It's nice to finally meet you, Lord Sinestro," she said, giving him a gracious bow.

"Speak up and spare me the flattery," Sinestro snapped at her. "What is your news."

Undeterred by the harsh order, she looked him square in the eye. "One of the other Yellow Lanterns stationed near Gomar let slip that some of the most powerful Green Lanterns, including Hal Jordan and the other humans, have left their sectors in search of a missing member."

The pink alien's eyes widened with interest. "Interesting… and who are they searching for?"

"A human child that was also a Rookie from Oa."

"I'd heard rumors that a child was drafted to the Corp, but I didn't believe that they would-" He looked sharply at the newest member. "Did you know him?"

"Yes, and I'm the reason he's on the run, and that the others are going after him."

Sinestro now looked at the yellow alien with interest, absorbing this new information. "You must tell me everything. First, though: do you know where they're going?"

Elantra smiled. "Yes. They're going to Earth."

..

_Ysmault, Home of the Red Lanterns:_

Atrocitus was busy staring out at the raging rivers of lava and blood when someone came up behind him.

"You better have the information I wanted or I will rip off your head," he growled, not looking back.

"Of course I do, Sir," the Red Lantern replied, sounding just as fierce as his leader. "Whoever gave off that blast of rage from Oa has left, and has now taken residence on Earth; his anger isn't as strong as it was, but I'm sure that a ring of ours would solve that problem. What's more, however, is that Hal Jordan and several other Green Lanterns are going after him, according to our spies."

A small cat in a Red Lantern uniform floated over to his master, swiping at his hand when he tried to pet him. The leader of the Red Lanterns was silent for a few moments, deep in thought. Usually, they didn't bring in new recruits; they'd just let a red ring find them for them. But this individual was from Oa... meaning that they were a Green Lantern, and rings didn't go to Oa. However, now this source of anger was off of Oa, but surely his friends would follow...

"I will lead a group to Earth," he finally spoke up, the red world around him matching the glow of his eyes. "Whoever this individual is, his rage will be a great addition to our Corp."

* * *

**_Now_ do you see why I wanted to post this chapter on the same day as well? I just COULDN'T wait another week or two to post this chapter, knowing that some serious stuff's gonna go down on Earth! ****Obviously, Kilowog's feeling guilty, Sam met Lobo, and he and his mom have lied to the Justice League about him being home. Add that to the Red and Yellow Lantern Corps, and you can probably guess that the next couple of chapters are gonna be epic!**

**But... you'll have to wait for me to post the next chapter to find out. Don't die or stress out until then; I don't want anyone going into shock because they don't know what happens next.**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter, as well as the story so far! As always, feel free to follow and favorite the story if you want to be updated on new chapters and so on, and feel free to leave a review on the chapter if you want.**

**I hope you all have a great and safe weekend, and see you next chapter!**

**-aggiefrogger**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello again, Readers!**

**Just one chapter being posted today this time. Hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

**So There's Gonna Be_ Another_ Alien Battle on Earth? ...Yay...**

**M****rs. McDormand POV:**

Mrs. McDormand was in brighter spirits, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Yes, her son Sam was finally home, but she could sense something bad was going to happen, and it had to do with her son; call it mother's intuition, if you will.

First, he looked a lot paler than he used to be; Sam used to have a deep coco color to him, but he came back a couple shades lighter; she didn't know what kind of sun Oa had, but she hoped that it didn't mean he was sick. Also, he was in just a t-shirt and underwear, and the blood from his broken nose had scared her. And finally, she realized that he didn't have his dad's old cassette player. She only noticed this when she walked by his room, seeing him listen to music on his smartphone, a sort of nostalgic and sad look on his face as he listened to Elton John, _AC/DC,_ and all of his dad's favorite bands. She couldn't help but be sad as well, knowing how much he treasured that gift from his dad, but didn't ask him about how he no longer had it. Based on the communications she'd gotten from him in the past, she assumed that life on Oa was rough, and that he needed some time to heal.

Diana and Martian Manhunter had shown up a day after her son had arrived, telling her that he was currently missing from Oa , and that everyone had no idea of where he was. Scared that they might take him away again if they knew he was here (he was, at that moment, sound asleep in his room), she pretended to be shocked by the news, crying and hugging Wonder Woman, who assured him that they would find his son; she may not have a college degree, but she sure was smart enough to know that them finding Sam would equal him leaving again. When they left after that, telling her to call them if Sam came home, she went to his room, peeking in at his sleeping figure.

"I'm not letting them take you again," she whispered, wiping away a few tears in her eyes. "I promise." When Sam was taken, she'd nearly lost herself, especially since he was all she had left after her husband died in that drunk driving accident. She knew that, eventually, the Green Lantern Corp or the Justice League would figure out she was lying, but she'd deal with that when it happened; right now, she was determined to keep her son home for as long as possible.

_But things __**are**__ better now,_ she thought to herself as she continued to get ready for work; Sam had fortunately just shown up before school started, and since their district did registration at the end of May, they didn't have any trouble with lying and saying he was visiting relatives in Louisiana. Her son went to school, a little quieter than she remembered him being but that was understandable; Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter had explained to her long ago what the Green Lantern Corp was and what his training would include, and decided to give him some space, though she would sometimes hug him, kissing his head and smiling at him as she silently let him know how much she had missed him. He'd smile back, but then go back to his thoughtful, complacent look that was so unlike the slightly-hyper, distracted boy she used to know. It was a double-edged sword; one one hand, her son was back, but he wasn't the boy she remembered.

On this particular day, she had just finished getting ready to go to work when she heard a knock at the door. Mrs. McDormand paused, looking at the window nearby for any sign of who it could be. Seeing a human-looking silhouette, she went to the door, opening it to find a man in a mask, a floating squirrel, and a large, towering pink creature standing behind them, all wearing identical green outfits. If she hadn't met superheroes before, she would have fainted, but she didn't now; she simply gasped at the sight of the three, wondering who they were, but she had a sinking feeling as to why they had come, and knew that the jig was up; eventually, they would find out that he was here on Earth, or at least come back to see if he had shown up.

"Mrs. McDormand," the man asked, his blue eyes kind and understanding behind his mask.

She nodded. "Yes. I suppose you're here about Sam?"

"Is he here," the pink alien demanded in a deep voice, causing her to start. He was mean looking, but she noticed that he also seemed anxious and almost scared.

"N-No," she said, looking at the alien. "He's- What's going on?"

"How long has he been home," the floating squirrel asked in a small, clear voice, pointing his ring finger at her. "We know he's back on Earth, and based on your vital signs, you seem to be hiding something."

Mrs. McDormand's face blanked, a chill running up her spine, knowing that she was finally caught. "I… I-I-I… You're not taking him," she finally said to them. "Please, just leave us alone!" She made to slam the door in their faces, but a glowing green something blocked the door from closing. About to yell something again, she looked at the human green lantern, who simply stared at her. She didn't know or explain why, but something about his eyes made her calm down, and told her that everything would be alright; he might've been using that green ring of his to trick her, but she doubted that to be true. She let go of the door handle, knowing that being uncooperative wouldn't be good for her or Sam; she needed to talk things out.

"May we please come in," the human Lantern asked kindly. "I think… I think we have some explaining to do."

..

" … so if we hadn't found Lobo, we would probably still be looking in the wrong places," Ch'p finished, taking a sip of milk from the glass the woman had offered him. It was good, he had to admit, and made a mental note to ask Hal to get him some before they left Earth.

The four beings were sitting in the tiny living room, each holding their own cup. Mrs. McDormand and Hal sat on the couch, with Ch'p floating nearby, while Kilowog stood near the doorway, silent and ashamed as his friends told Sam's mom what had happened. He couldn't look the woman in the eye, embarrassed as he listened to the parts about him. The woman, meanwhile, listened quietly as they explained how Sam had been during his training, how he'd helped the other Rookies, how he was tricked, how his machine was destroyed, and how he'd left. She didn't know any of this, since her son wouldn't tell her, but hearing it now, it put a whole new perspective in her mind of what she should do next.

When Hal and Ch'p finally finished talking, Mrs. McDormand remained silent, holding her tea in her hand, though she was also looking at the clock; she had work in twenty minutes, and it was almost too much for her to deal with. She _had_ to work to support her and Sam; the Justice League had offered her money every month since her son was technically a superhero, but she had refused, seeing it as charity. She knew that the Justice League probably knew by now that Sam was back on Earth, and she sighed, knowing that she couldn't protect her son any longer. But time was of the essence, so when she finally spoke, she spoke quickly, pushing aside the pain in her heart. "You," she said, turning towards the pink alien. "Mr. uh…"

The combat training officer glanced up, a little frightened when he saw her glaring at him. "K-Kilowg, ma'am."

"Ah, I've heard about you; your reputation precedes you. You're the one that tormented my son. Right?" All he could do was nod, still ashamed. "Well, I'm not gonna coddle you, given your training and status. I agree with Mr. Jordan here, that you shouldn't have been that hard on him, but given the… _interesting_ circumstances, I can't be mad at you, and I'm won't become mad later on." Kilowog looked up, surprised that she was no longer glaring at him, but giving him an almost pitiful look. He didn't want her pity, but he was just relieved that she wasn't mad at him. "You had a job to do, and I thank you for looking after my son, and know that I use that term very loosely. However, I don't expect you to pull any more crap like that if he goes back with you three." The alien nodded again, and she nodded back, satisfied.

" … _If_ he comes back," Ch'p asked, using his ring to pour himself some more milk. "Ma'am, he _has _to finish his training. We know you love him very much, but he has a respon-"

_"I'm_ not keeping him from going," Mrs. McDormand said firmly, looking at each of the Lanterns in turn. "_I_ didn't chase him away, so I don't have to ask him to go back." Her eyes landed on Kilowog's. "While... while I want him to stay at home, it's Sam's decision to go back, if he wants to. If I were you, I'd apologize and beg him to come back, since it seems like y'all really need him." Her heart felt like it was ripping in two, offering up her choice in the matter of him staying or going, but she knew that, after hearing everything that had happened, she couldn't hold him back.

The pink alien nodded, straightening up in his seat. "Where is he, again?"

"At the high school a few streets over. The only two story building in town."

"Kilowog," Hal said, standing up, giving his friend a cautious look. "He's in school, and he's probably not gonna be happy to see us. Besides, you and Ch'p aren't human, and I'm a superhero to the people of Earth; we can't just go barging in there!"

"Then don't come," Kilowog said, pushing past him and heading down the hall before opening the front door. Before he could leave, John rushed inside.

"We've got a problem," he said. "Justice League's picked up two separate groups entering the atmosphere, heading towards us."

"Don't tell me-" Hal said.

"Red _and_ Yellow." Kilowog muttered something unsavory under his breath, pushing past the human Lantern and taking off into the sky. "The League's on their way," John continued, "and we're assigned with getting the population to safety, as well as protecting civilians; it seems they're heading for the high school.

"They're heading for Sam," Hal muttered, turning back to Mrs. McDormand. "I'm sorry ma'am, about all of this and the trouble we've caused. If there's _anything_ we can do-"

"I'm fine," she said, smiling grimly and taking Hal and Ch'p's cups (the latter looking a little disappointed). "Go help Sam; I have no doubt that the League will probably check up on me."

"Thanks. But if I were you, ma'am I wouldn't go to work… things may get interesting." Hal smiled, and he and Ch'p quickly ran out of the room, heading towards the open front door, leaving her and John alone.

"Are you sure you don't need protection right now," he asked her.

"No need," she said, going over to her desk nearby, pulling a small communicator from the back of the bottom drawer, pushing the button that alerted the Justice League. "But I thank you for the offer. Now go save the world." The man nodded, giving her a grim smile before running out the front door as well.

For a brief moment, Mrs. McDormand wondered if she should warn her son about was to come, seeing the danger he was in. She didn't have a phone that texted, however, and wondered if he would run if she called him; the last thing she needed was her son out in the open, an easy target for whoever the Red and Yellow groups were. She still went to her phone, however, dialing the number to her job to tell them she wasn't available to come in to work today, and then to call the police and alert them of the upcoming battle

Outside, her next door neighbor stared at the sky, wondering if he was crazy, or if four green-clad aliens had _really_ just taken off from the McDormand's front lawn, yelling at him to get him and his family somewhere safe that was away from all windows.

* * *

**Sam POV:**

Sam stared at the ring on his finger as the short lady at the podium talked about what an exciting year it was going to be.

It was the first Pep Rally of the year, so naturally the high school had pulled out all the stocks; the marching band and cheerleaders had prepared special routines to show off, and the Principal was now making her opening remarks. The gym bleachers were full of students, pulled from their morning classes, grateful to be out of their humdrum classes, even if it was only for half an hour.

Sam, on the other hand, could care less about what the principal was saying. He slowly twisted the green ring around his finger, remembering a time when he could create skyscrapers and such with this ring. Now, however, it was devoid of any power, so even if he wanted to, he couldn't create so much as a flea construct. He'd gotten a few compliments from fellow students about his 'cool replica,' but he didn't thank them.

For some crazy reason, he _missed_ being on Oa; not the bad parts about it, of course, but the good parts. Like how the stars were always visible, no matter what time of day; he missed the time spent training and sparring with his fellow Rookies (save Elantra), and eating lunch together afterwards. Here, his old friends avoided him, not buy the story of him visiting an aunt for two months, and rumors circled that he'd been sent to an institution, which explained his paler complexion and the circles under his eyes. At least back on Oa, he had _some_ friends, and he was able to fly; he missed that too. Pushing aside the memory of the wind blowing his hair and the feeling of weightlessness, he looked back up at the podium, figuring he might as well pay attention now that he was back at school.

" … and the Cafeteria will now be serving both 2% and skim milk," she said, turning the page in her packet of notes. "Continuing on-"

_BOOM!_

Her voice faltered as everyone looked around, wondering what the heck it was; the faint noise seemed to have come from outside. Everyone immediately started speculating what might have happened: Did a pipe burst in the soccer field or something? I thought I felt the ground shake! You're just pretending; it's probably nothing. Sam looked up too, his curiosity piqued as even some of the teachers looked confused.

"A-Anyways," the principal continued, turning back to her speech while some of the monitors called for silence, "we've also added a new-"

_CRASH!_

_Now_ people panicked as the side wall of the gym was blown inward, sending brick and plaster across the room. Fortunately, no one was close enough to have gotten injured, but students still screamed as the dust settled down. A few teachers made to walk over to the hole to see what had caused it when someone, or rather, some_thing_ stepped through it into the gym, bringing a new wave of panic.

It was huge, first of all, and for a crazy second, Sam thought it might be Kilowog. But he quickly ruled it out as he noticed details about the alien. It had dark red skin, like the color of blood, and it wore a lighter red outfit not unlike a Green Lantern uniform, but the insignia in the center was different. But it was the glowing red ring on his finger, along with the glowing red eyes, that confirmed in his mind who it was.

Atrocitus. Leader of the Red Lanterns.

Instantly, the teen felt his level of terror shoot up past ten as he recalled what he'd learned about the Red Lanterns. Their rings were powered by rage, and they apparently had a lot of it. They were ruthless and merciless as well, killing whoever, whenever they pleased. Even now, something that looked suspiciously like blood floated in little droplets around the alien, who surveyed the panicking student body.

_Why is he here, _Sam wondered. _Who here is so angry that the Red Lanterns would show up and-_ The blood drained from his face as he realized who it was, and at that moment, the alien spoke up.

"SILENCE," Atrocitus yelled, instantly turning off all conversations and screaming as people hunched in their seats, petrified. A small kat in a red outfit, along with a few more aliens in red uniforms, came in through the wall behind him, all glaring at the humans.

"One of you," he continued, his voice echoing through the gym, "is the object of our search. We have sensed a great rage in you, and have come to take you with us. Resist, and we will kill you all."

A few people screamed at that, but a harsh look from the alien silenced everyone again.

"So I suggest, if you care about your pathetic human friends, to stand up and surrender yourself, former Green Lantern."

The school body sat in shock for a few moments, taking in the alien's word. One of them apparently used to be a Green Lantern, and now was being hunted by these Red Lantern aliens who wanted to take them. And if they didn't get what they wanted, they would all die. Some people started crying, some started texting their parents, but most sat in shock, not sure of what to do. But Sam knew what to do; power ring or not, he couldn't just sit there and let everyone die because of him. Taking a deep breath, he stood up, looking Atrocitus square in the eye.

Everyone gasped, and those that sat near him scrambled away, as if he had some sort of disease. Already he could hear whispering about him, some relieved that they would be spared while others pointed to the ring on his finger, but he ignored them, slowly making his way down the steps of the bleachers.

"Smart move," the towering alien said, grinning evilly as he held out his hand, a small red ring floating above it. "Your blood and rage will give our Corp plenty of power!"

"I'm not joining you," Sam said, walking into the center of the gym, facing the Red Lanterns.

"What," the alien asked, eyes narrowing into a glare.

"I said," the boy repeated, "I'm not joining you. I'm no longer angry enough to join you."

"You may tell yourself that, but I assure you that I am never wrong when it comes to rage. I _am_ Rage, and you _will_ join us!" He tossed the ring, which floated over to the teen, hovering a few inches away from his face, giving off a hypnotic glow.

"Don't be a dumbass," someone yelled from the bleachers. "Take it!" They were obviously scared of dying and panicking, so Sam wasn't, and couldn't, be mad at them.

Atrocitus laughed at that; it was a chilling sound. "Your peers are right; take it, and you will save them from sure destruction. Take it, and become more powerful than any Green Lantern that has come before you! Take it, and accept your destiny!"

A silence fell over the gym as everyone stared at the teen, waiting to see what he would do. Sam stared at the ring that floated in front of him, and for a moment, just a moment, he considered taking it. It would be so easy to just take the ring, letting his anger at his dad's death, his Earth friends abandoning him, his mom's crappy bosses, Elantra's betrayal, Kilowog's torture, and all the reasons he had to be angry, give him all the power in the world, or even in the universe. If that explosion back on Oa was him when he was angry, he could be ten times as powerful with a red ring.

_Take it,_ a voice said, unfamiliar and dark. Was it just his subconscious, telling him what to do? _Just take it._ He lifted a hand to let the ring slide onto his finger, but he noticed a splash of green on his hand, and he looked back at the dormant Green Lantern power ring.

_Don't give up,_ a voice told him, louder than the voice of the red ring._ Fight it; do not let your possession of my ring end so soon!_

"Swet'llanga," he muttered, looking at the green ring; he couldn't explain how or why, but he could definitely tell that it was her. "How-"

_You were chosen for a reason; your will is stronger than your anger and fear. Don't give into their lies! Stay strong!_ The voice seemed to fade away after that, and he wondered if what had happened, just happened. He looked back up at the red ring, its whisper no longer audible, then back ag the green one.

Lowering his hand, he took a step back, moving away from the red ring. "I won't join you."

Now the alien looked enraged as the red ring flew back to him. "Then you have condemned your friends to die," he yelled, raising his fist, his own glowing ring visible. "But you _will_ join us, even if I must break every bone in your body to put that ring on your finger!"

"Not today," another voice spoke up, and a green boulder flew from somewhere behind the teen and hit Atrocitus in the face, knocking him back. The Red Lantern leader stumbled, growling with anger as he glared at something over the teen's shoulder.

"_Oh shit, a talking squirrel_," someone yelled from the bleachers, and everyone, including Sam, turned around to find a small Green Lantern floating by the door, surrounded by several other Green Lanterns, who were all holding their rings up, charged and ready for battle. They were about the same number as the Red Lanterns, and consisted of Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Ch'p, Tomar, the Rookies (minus Elantra), and finally, Kilowog.

"Samuel McDormand," Ch'p yelled again, probably a little miffed by the squirrel comment, "charge your ring and join us in the fight!"

Atrocitus roared from his side of the gym, the red glow swirling around him as his anger grew. "KILL THEM ALL," he yelled. "LEAVE THE BOY TO ME!"

And with that, both groups of Lanterns leaped forward, with Sam caught in the middle.

* * *

**Of course, the battle itself is gonna be the next chapter. Also, if you're asking where the Yellow Lanterns are, you'll see next chapter!**

**To be honest, it was hard to write Mrs. McDormand. Of course, since I'm not a mom, I doubt I could ever perfectly describe the emotions and feelings one would have for their only son being taken away, returned, and then threatened to be taken from her again. She's smart, but stubborn, and this chapter shows that her accepting her son's destiny is not hers to control is a big turning point for her, even though she's not a main character.**

**But we finally have the start to our epic showdown! More to come in the next chapter!**

**Feel free to follow and favorite this story or my profile to be updated on new chapters, and feel free to leave a review on this story if you want.**

**And as always, have a safe and happy week/weekend!**

**-aggiefrogger**

**NOTE: I do NOT own AC/DC, Elton John or space battles in ANY way, shape or form!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello again, Readers!**

**Well, here it is. Battle time! I know it's not a masterpiece of storytelling, and is only one chapter long, but it has plenty of action, is fast-paced, and has an epic conclusion!  
**

**I hope you like it!**

* * *

**Powerful Memories:**

**Sam POV:**

Sam had never seen any of the Lanterns in battle, and was stunned for a second at how quickly they rushed forward. Fortunately, he managed to jump out of the way as the two groups clashed with one another, falling on his back as he stared at the two groups fighting, already knocking each other out of the way.

"SAM," someone yelled, and he felt something wrap around his waist, pulling him away from the action towards the Green side of the gym. John Stewart flew overhead, bringing up a shield to protect the students and school faculty in the bleachers. Finally stopping, he locked up to see Pznar looking down at him.

"Hurry up and help," he yelled, setting a power battery next to the teen, looking up just in time as the red cat attacked him, knocking the purple alien into the wall.

Looking around, Sam saw that the number of Green Lanterns outnumbered the Reds, but the Red side was ruthless, attacking so fast, that the Green could barely keep them back. Also, John and the Twins were helping the students and teachers evacuate, as well as protecting them from flying debris. Looking at the fight, he saw that mostly everyone was fighting someone, except for Atrocitus, who had Kilowog and Hal fighting him, but he was slowly and surely making his way across the room. Straight towards him. Panicking, the boy grabbed the lantern, scrambled to his feet, and sprinted towards the exit, bursting into the hallway.

_Where do I go,_ he thought, running down the hall, putting as much distance between himself and the fighting. He could charge his ring now, but he needed at least ten seconds to charge it enough for him to fight, so he needed a place to avoid any attacks while he did so. _A bathroom?_ Too small, and no view of anyone coming; plus, if he was going to die, he didn't want to die in a _bathroom,_ of all places. _The cafeteria? _Too big and open. Classrooms were out too. The only other room he could think of was-

"The library," he muttered, turning down another hall and running towards the door, which was thankfully unlocked. The librarians were at the pep rally, so he wasn't stopped as he ran between the bookshelves, trying to find a place to hide. Eventually, he found himself in the back computer lab, which was in a small room just off of the main library. He turned off the lights, shut and locked the door, and ducked down behind one of the computers, catching his breath. Then, placing the battery next to him, he stuck his hand with the ring against the side of the green object, counting down the seconds as it charged.

_One… two… three… _The ring on his finger started to glow, and almost hummed as power returned to it. _Four… Five… Six… _A few more seconds and he could fight and fly, as well as have the protection of his uniform. _Seven… Eight… Ni-_  
The door to the room was blown inward, knocking tables and computers back, and Sam quickly ducked under one of the tables, ring still charging as his uniform covered his body, minus the metal band around his head.

"Come on out, boy," an unfamiliar voice called; this wasn't Atrocitus'. This one sounded softer, clear, and somehow more sinister. "I can sense that you grow tired of this fighting already; surrender now, and my Corp will bring the silly battle between the Red and Green Corps to an end."

_Wait, he's not with Green or Red,_ the teen thought, confused. _Then that means-_

The desk over him suddenly was tossed aside, exposing him as he while he whirled around, aiming his fist at the Yellow Lantern who stood in the doorway.

"Lucky guess," the purple alien said smoothly, raising his own ringed fist as well. "Now, let's not be foolish, and-"

The boy shot a beam of green energy at the alien, who dodged it and replied with his own. Quickly throwing up a shield, Sam was blasted back through the wall (if he hadn't been wearing his uniform, or if his ring hadn't been charged enough, he would have died) and into an empty classroom, scattering desks before hitting the back wall. Seeing the yellow lantern advancing towards him, he panicked, shooting into the air and flying out the window, breaking through it and flying into the air. Hovering over the top of the school, he surveyed the battle around him.

The battle between Green and Red had spilled outside into the large sports fields that surrounded the school; he could see several large constructs being thrown, demolishing soccer goals and stadium stands. What was scarier was another battle going on several yards beneath him; Yellow Lanterns, about six of them, were currently fighting nearby, but when the teen saw who their opponents were, he gasped.

"The Justice League," he said out loud in an awed voice, forgetting that he was supposed to be fleeing for his life.

There they all were: Batman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Superman, Hawkgirl and Hawkguy, and- The teen gave a gasp as Martian Manhunter, his favorite superhero, took down a yellow lantern, floating through another one that tried to attack him.

… _Wow,_ he thought, watching them in action, taking down the super-powered lanterns with ease. _They're amazing! No wonder they were Earth's premier defenders!_ _And seeing them in person was-_

Something hit him from behind, sending him towards the battle below him, sending him crashing into another yellow lantern. Both scrambling to their feet, Sam blasted the alien back, looking up to see what had knocked him out of the sky. It was the purple alien from before, calmly floating down towards him. He stood up, ready to fight, but realized he'd dropped the lantern battery somewhere.

"GET DOWN," he heard someone yell from nearby, and the teen hit the deck as something flew over his head, followed by the sound of an angry yell. Looking up, he saw some glowing rope of some sort had bound the lantern, preventing him from moving his arms. However, he could still fly, and he took off, and the teen ducked again as Wonder Woman was pulled after her lasso, both of them flying into the sky.

"Sam." The boy turned around, gaping a little at the black-clad individual in front of him, just as terrifying in person than on TV. "You need to get out of here," Batman continued.

"Where am I supposed to go," he asked. "And I'm not leaving my friends here!"

"Not a negotiation."

"You're right." And he took off into the sky at that, flying towards the roof of the school, wondering if he'd actually just said no to Batman, a little relieved that the guy didn't broken his spine.

_No wonder mom used to say I'm too cocky,_ he thought, landing on the roof and surveying the two battles in front of him. To his left, it was Yellow vs Justice League, and to his right, Green vs Red. Looking at both sides, he tried to figure out how this full-scale battle had come to his hometown, of all places, with three different sides fighting over him. He could understand how the Red Lanterns were here, given his rage from when he'd left Oa, but why was Yellow here? According to Ch'p and Kilowog, they kept to themselves mostly, so why would they suddenly be on Earth at the same time as the other two Corps?

"Isn't it obvious," someone spoke up from behind him. He whirled around, bringing his ring up to fight, but suddenly found himself frozen in place, arm in front of him, staring directly at Elantra.

..

"Like my new look," she continued, holding up her hand to display her yellow ring. "I _told_ you I'd be a Lantern; now I'm better off than when I was with the Green Corp!" She walked forward, wearing the familiar smug look. "I should be thanking you for your little outburst and running away; Sinestro thinks that you'll be a welcomed prisoner of ours, or someone too powerful to keep alive. If you do live, all that fear of yours goes to power our rings, and the Green Lanterns wouldn't dare attack us just to rescue _you!_ Even though Red had to come make things harder, they'll be dealt with in their own time. However," she continued, raising her own ring towards him, glowing inches from his face, "I don't like you. I should just kill you right now."

_Then what's stopping you,_ he wondered, glaring back at her as he tried to regain some control again; the last time he'd been under her control, his dad's gift had been destroyed, and now there were three alien groups fighting outside of his school. He didn't want to die, so he frantically tried to figure out a way to force her out of his mind.

"Call it obedience," she said, reading his mind. "Or call it being smart; Sinestro can't expect to live forever, and he already sees me as a valuable addition to the Crop. If I play my cards right, _I'll_ be in charge, and will lead the Yellow Lanterns to complete control of the universe!" A small yellow blade appeared in her hand, the tip barely touching his forehead. "But for now, I'll listen to him, and he didn't say anything about bringing you back unharmed!" Smiling cruelly, Elantra pulled her hand back, ready to cut him down, when something knocked the blade out of her hand.

"Leave him alone," he heard a voice say, and Sam wanted to cry with relief as he realized that someone had come after him. He couldn't turn to see the superhero, but Elantra glared at the man, annoyed that she had been interrupted.

"Back off, human," she spat. "You may have a strong mind, but you're still weaker than me!" She shot something at the Justice League member, but he must've avoided it, because the yellow alien stumbled back, crying out in pain as she pulled a black, bat-shaped piece of metal from her hand, blood dripping from the cut. While she was distracted, she suddenly yelped as something wrapped around her legs, sending her tumbling to the ground. Then, she was dragged out his sight, her yells of anger suddenly cut off.

Suddenly able to move, Sam stumbled forward, turning around to see Batman standing next to an unconscious Elantra. "Did you just… kill her," the teen asked.

"I don't kill," Batman said simply, tapping something on his forearm. "Hal, I took out the mind-controller; she's on the roof."

"Thanks," the Lantern's voice called back, followed by the sound of an explosion that corresponded with the one that the boy heard in the distance. "Come back and help us keep them back!"

"We can't just leave her here," Sam protested as Batman lowered his communicator. "If she wakes up, she'll come for me and all the other Lanterns!"

"What about the rest of us," the man asked.

"She said she can't access human minds unless we lower our mental defenses enough-"

"She won't get into my mind," the superhero interrupted, walking over to the edge of the roof, surveying the fighting. "But I suggest you start trying to keep her out of yours. I'll stay here and guard her; we can't risk you being controlled again." He turned back to Sam. "Is your ring charged?"

"Yes."

"Then use it; help your friends."

"I thought you didn't want me to fight. But if I go, what should I do," he asked, looking over at the two battles as they continued to rage on. "Where do I go? Everything's moving too fast, I-"

Batman turned towards him him, giving him a serious expression that, for some bizarre reason, seemed different from the other identical serious expressions. "You're scared." It wasn't a question, but a statement.

"Should I not be? I know I'm a Green Lantern, but what am I _supposed_ to do? Half of everyone out there is trying to either capture kill me, and right now, they're currently attacking my friends! I didn't-"

"Ask for this," the superhero interrupted. "_No one_ asks for this. No one chooses the cards they're given in life. All you can do is play the cards you're dealt." He looked down at Sam. "I know you're scared, and that you didn't deserve this burden to be place on you. However, now's not the time to be afraid of what might happen; right now, you have to help."

"But what can I do against… that?"

"I heard you made quite an impression when you left Oa," the man told him. "And if two rival groups want you, you must be something special. And you've got a ring that allows you to create just about whatever you can think of. What _can't_ you do?"

There were a million things the boy could think of that he couldn't do, but he was too busy absorbing the impromptu pep-talk Batman had just given him, looking inside himself to answer the question. He looked down at his ring, glowing on his finger; he'd been chosen, out of everyone in the universe, to be a Green Lantern. He was the youngest individual ever chosen by a ring, meaning he must have _something_ going for him. He had grown stronger on Oa, and was able to lead the other Rookies into being strong as well; Elantra, who bragged about being stronger, couldn't do that.

_What can I do?_

_What __**can't**__ I do?_

_I can't just sit here and let anyone die because of me,_ he thought. _And I can't die and let my ring find someone else who'll be too little too-_ A sudden thought struck him, and his ring seemed to grow warmer on his finger, as if telling him that it was possible. But even if it was possible, how would he even do it? He looked down at the ring, and it seemed to briefly glow like a miniature sun, illuminating what he had to do.

"Thank you," he said to the superhero, turning to face him. "I… I think I can do it."

"Of course you can. Now do it." Sure, maybe it wasn't the pep-talk he'd been expecting, but Sam knew that it was the one he needed. Giving Batman a final nod, he took off into the sky, heading for the battle.

..

Things weren't going good for the Green Lanterns; even though they had the will, they didn't have the stamina to keep back Red's attacks, and Sam noticed a few Lanterns, Green and Red, were now lying unconscious on the ground, and the remaining Green Lanterns were starting to take some damage. Hovering above him, he stretched his arms out, ready to move fast.

_Any suggestions,_ he thought as a pair of green earbuds appeared in his ears. Queen's _Don't Stop Me Now_ started playing in reply, and he smiled, making a mental note to thank his brain if he survived, and he dived down into battle.

One of the best things about Queen songs is that they always had a knack of making him feel like he could do anything. That's why, when training with the Rookies back on Oa, he often would listen to the band as he played offence. Now, it was like second nature to him as he took out his first red lantern, surprising Uhjan.

"Aren't you a little late," he asked the teen.

"Better late than never," the boy yelled over his music, turning around and blasting another red lantern away from him, creating a construct that picked up the unconscious alien and hurled him at one of his friends.

The music seemed to give him the confidence he needed to help fight, and he couldn't help but grin as he flew threw the battle. The other red lanterns, noticing this stronger, not-so-tired green lantern, started to go for him, no longer finding fun in the other, more-tired green lanterns. However, Sam was ready for them, and quickly flew at one, knocked them out, and created a wall as two more shot beams of crimson light at him. However, there were still some Green Lanterns up, so Guy and Tomar knocked them out, dragging them away from the fighting. Suddenly, that cat lantern showed up, hissing at him, but the teen managed to fly up, coaxing it higher, before flying forward, wrapping it in a leash construct, and slamming it into the ground.

"Help the others with Yellow," he yelled at Tomar, Guy, Uhjan, John, and the Twins, who stared at him in shock as he threw the cat into the face of its allies, both of them going down. The Green Lanterns nodded, flying over to where Yellow was still in combat with the Justice League, taking on a few of the Red Lanterns that were still up and fighting.

Suddenly, a loud roar echoed across the field, and Sam turned to see Atrocitus kicking Kilowog away from him, sending the pink alien tumbling, and he blasted Hal back with a beam of red light, knocking the man unconscious. Then, the vengeful alien looked up and saw Sam.

"Surely you feel some sort of anger at what I am doing," he demanded, indicating to the unconscious Hal and others. "You may have beaten my followers, but I assure you I am not as weak as them!"

"True," the boy replied, "but my will is stronger than yours!"

With Freddie Mercury singing in the background, a giant wave of green appeared around Sam, rising up to forty feet in the air like a giant tsunami. Then, he sent it crashing down on the leader of the red lanterns, knocking him backwards as the teen ran forward after the wave, two bowling balls appearing in his hands; maybe not the most effective or choice weapons, but they'd do good for the moment. He chucked them at the alien, one of then hitting the alien in the arm while he caught the other, crushing it with one hand.

"Now you've made me mad," Atrocitus growled.

"You mean you were just annoyed earlier," the teen asked, a mixture of bravado and fear running through his veins.

The alien roared, creating a giant hand construct that knocked the boy into the air, temporarily disorienting him before he rightened himself. Looking down, he saw the red alien shooting towards him, and it took everything he had to dodge the red lantern as he flew by. Sam dived towards the ground, flying as fast as he could over the the surface, trying to think of what to do next. His thoughts were cut short when he felt something wrap around his ankle, pulling him from the sky and slamming him to the ground, the wind leaving him at once as the music and earbuds faded away. He gasped, trying to get some air into his lungs as he tried to sit up, but someone landed in front of him, glaring down at him.

"You have been a great annoyance to me," the red lantern told him, creating a construct that prevented Sam from sitting up. "Almost makes me wonder if I should just kill you and be free of you!"

"N-No," the teen sputtered, trying to muster up some strength to fight back.

"Let's see how long you survive the ass-kicking you're about to get," he told him, holding up his fist, which became encased in red energy. Sam wildly thought of a shield, hoping it would be enough to protect him.

Suddenly, a beam of yellow light hit Atrocitus, making him stumble back. "I believe that's my kill," the familiar voice of the purple alien called, and the boy vaguely felt the yellow lantern's shadow fall across his face.

"Back off, Sinestro," the red alien said angrily. "This boy is mine! His rage was enough to catch my attentions, so he comes with me!"

"But it was through fear that he became angry," the leader of the yellow lanterns countered. "And it was one of my recruits that told me of his being here; he is mine to kill. If you refuse, you will join him."

"Bullshit! You may be able to scare the rest of the universe, but you can't threaten me into submission!"

The yellow lantern replied with something, but Sam didn't focus on that; but only on the thoughts that raced through his head. Where was everyone else? How could he break free and escape? These and millions more raced through his head, clouding his judgement.

_C'mon,_ he thought to himself, _do SOMETHING! ANYTHING!_ He couldn't even look at his ring, wondering who it would chose once he died.

_You will not die,_ a voice echoed in his head, and he felt the ring grow warmer on his hand. _We will help you._

_Uh… what,_ Sam thought honestly, trying to focus on the voice of the deceased Lantern that was somehow in his head.

_Rings carry memories; echoes of those that came before it, the voice told him, sounding reassuring as the voices of the bickering lanterns faded. They are more powerful than you could possibly imagine; all you have to do is let that power flow through you, controling it with your will._

_What if I can't handle it,_ he asked in his mind.

_We will help you. _The voice sounded so certain, he couldn't help but believe it, and he closed his eyes, trying to focus on the voice from the ring instead of the battle outside.

* * *

**Kilowog POV:**

Kilowog sat up with a start, looking around the field, searching for Atrocitus and Hal. Damn guy knocked him out, and as he looked around, he saw the human lantern lying unconscious several yards away. Finally, he spotted the lantern; it wasn't hard, giving the bright red glow he gave off.

He stood a distance off, seemingly arguing with Sinestro, their yelled conversation unintelligible. Looking at the ground, he noticed a small green figure lying by the red lantern's feet, a construct preventing him from moving.

"Shit," he muttered, staggering to his feet as he scanned himself for injuries. Nothing major, but he was still tired. He took a few steps towards the trio, knowing he had to rescue the boy before the two bad guys realized who their real enemy was, but he stumbled, falling to the ground.

"Get up, Poozer," he told himself, pushing himself up onto his hands and feet, looking around for any sign of other Green Lanterns that could help. Some were unconscious, and the others appeared to be helping the Justice League with the yellow lanterns, trying to keep them from reaching their leader; all the other red lanterns were unconscious besides Atrocitus. "Get up!"

He started to stumble forward again, his walk soon turning into a quick jog, that soon turned into a run as he ran towards the two rival lanterns, determined to protect the Rookie he failed to protect others. As he got closer, he saw Sinestro and Atrocitus look up, raising their rings to attack. He raised his, ready to attack, when a sudden blast of green light knocked him backwards, sending him back to the ground. On guard, he sat up, his arm frozen mid-aim as he gaped at what happened.

Sam… was glowing. He knew that most green lanterns had an aura that meant their ring was working hard to keep them from dying. However, this one was different; it was brighter, and usually, auras don't knock you back several feet, meaning that whatever it was, it wasn't normal. Looking, he noticed Sinestro and Atrocitus were scrambling to their feet, staring at the boy in shock.

"You can't teleport, young man," Sinestro told him, walking over towards Sam. "There's nowhere to-"

A green construct flew from the boy, hitting the yellow lantern in the jaw, knocking him back before landing in front of the fallen leader.

The construct was that of an alien, standing in front of the teen as the glow surrounding him appeared to grow brighter. The alien seemed to tower over the boy, her hair tied up behind her, her face glaring at anyone who dare approach her; on her hand glowing a ring of her own. What was crazy, though, was that it was a Lantern Kilowog recognized; he remembered training her years ago.

"Swet'llanga," he gasped.

Suddenly, Sam started to glow more brightly, and suddenly, a dozen or so constructs were flying out of his ring, surrounding him and forcing the Red and Yellow Lantern leaders back as they watched with shocked expressions. The new Lanterns were all glowing, just like Sam, and the surrounded him, forming a simple ring around the teen as they looked out in all directions. They were all constructs, but something about them seemed… _different,_ from a regular construct. The combat officer gaped as he recognized some of them as Lanterns he had trained, and realized who they were.

Somehow, someway, the past wielders of the ring had come to aid Sam, and they all looked ready to fight.

They sprang forward, Swet'llanga and another one taking down Sinestro and Atrocitus, the glowing constructs seemingly immune to any attack. The others spread out; some going towards the unconscious red and green lanterns, the others going towards the battle against yellow, joining the fight. The remaining green lanterns and Justice League heroes stared in shock as the green constructs flew into battle, taking down yellow lanterns like it was a piece of cake. They tired to fight back, but were quickly taken down, the constructs dragging them towards the boy as the others dragged the red and carried the green over to Sam as well.

:How is this happening," Superman asked, watching as a two-headed construct wrapped up another yellow lantern, pulling them away.

"Memory constructs," John Stewart explained. "Lanterns can create replicas of living things based on their memories of them. But how did he know about-" He could not finish the thought as he and everyone else watched every one of the constructs deposit the Red and Yellow Lanterns by their masters, who were being restrained by two constructs of their own. The surviving Green Lanterns and JL members followed, now seeing the teen at the center of it all.

Sam's eyes suddenly opened, glowing green like the rest of him. He tore off the red construct that bound him, and he climbed to his feet, looking like he was in a trance. He faced the Swet'llanga construct, the captured and gagged Atrocitus and Sinestro, as well as the other past Lantern constructs, who carried the green ones off to safety while leaving the red and yellow ones bound near their leaders. Then, his voice sounding like dozens of others, the boy started to chant.

**"IN BRIGHTEST DAY, IN BLACKEST NIGHT,**

**NO EVIL SHALL ESCAPE MY SIGHT,**

**LET THOSE WHO WORSHIP EVIL'S MIGHT,**

**BEWARE MY POWER… **_**GREEN LANTERN'S LIGHT!"**_

On that final note, he, along with his constructs, all glowed brighter than the sun, disappearing into what seemed like pure energy, which flew inward towards him; Kilowog and the others shielded their eyes, unable to stand the glow. The green cloud swirled around the teen, spinning so fast, he was barely visible as the constructs melted away, joining the swirling form of energy. Then, suddenly, the boy screamed, releasing the energy away from him and towards the on-lookers.

This time, instead of everyone being affected by the blast, only Red and Yellow Lanterns were affected. Atrocitus and Sinestro got the worst of it, but their followers were also tossed into the air like rag dolls, but they didn't fall back down. Now, the energy swirled around the boy, with him in the center of his own hurricane of power, the red and yellow figures helpless to fight against it. Then, giving off another final scream, Sam pointed his ring at the sky, and the cloud mirrored his movement, becoming a single beam that shot into the sky, taking the corrupted Lanterns with them. Seconds later, they were gone, the sky as brilliantly blue as it had been minutes before.

The glow faded from the teen's eyes, and his arm fell to his side. Looking around, he saw that everyone that was left was staring at him in shock at what he had just done. Meanwhile, the injured Lanterns were starting to stir, as if that green glow had given them energy; Sam, meanwhile, looked like he was in need of that energy at the moment as he swayed a little in place.

"We… we won," he said, giving them a tired smile before promptly collapsing, unconscious.

* * *

**No message for the end of this chapter.**

**Of course, I hope you enjoyed this installment of the story. Feel free to follow and favorite the story if you don't already, and feel free to leave a review on this chapter or others in the story. And, as always, have a happy and safe week/weekend!**

**-aggiefrogger**

**Note: I do NOT own Queen, _Don't Stop Me Now,_ or Freddie Mercury in ANY way, shape or form!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey Readers!  
**

**Yeah, I know that last chapter was interesting, and that I didn't add my usually post-chapter note like I usually do. I just figured that there's always the silence after a battle, and that was my way of showing that.**

**Anyway, here's the next chapter, which focuses on the aftermath of the battle, and sees two characters finally confronting their fears, and each other. Enjoy!**

**Also, there is one f-word, so be warned.**

* * *

**Apologies:**

**Sam POV:**

"Memory Constructs," Hal was saying. "I know that some Lanterns are able to create realistic constructs of people, places and things that happened in the past, based purely on memory."

"The confusing part," John interjected, "is how he was able to create those constructs without knowing who they were. They were all dead, and Sam had never met an alien before coming to Oa. Even if he had somehow saw a picture of them..." The teen heard them turn towards his general direction, but he kept his eyes closed, pretending to be asleep. "It should be impossible."

"Do you think he knows what happened," Guy asked. "We could ask him when he wakes up."

"Best not rush him," Stewart suggested. "That took a lot of energy from him; it's a miracle he didn't die."

"I think we all need some rest," Hal suggested. "I'll take the first watch tonight." There were murmurs of assent as the other Lanterns left the room, and the teen heard Hal settle in a nearby chair, waiting.

Sam had woken up hours ago, but he simply lay in bed, pretending to be asleep, for two reasons. One, he really was tired; he probably might drift back to sleep soon. Two, because he wasn't ready for what happens next. The only problem was… he didn't know what came next; was he going back to Oa, and if so, would he get into trouble for what he did? He was pretty sure blowing up a training field and running away, leading for a group of Lanterns and Rookies to leave their posts and come rescue him, nearly dying in the process. The teen had never met the Guardians, but heard that they could either be understanding or merciless; with his luck, he wasn't sure what was going to happen next.

So it was with these thoughts that he fell into a troubled sleep, but fortunately had no nightmares.

..

Apparently, Batman had a bunch of safe houses around the world in case of an emergency. Well, house probably wasn't the right word; it was about three stories tall, had eight bedrooms, four bathrooms, and was in a secluded area of woods in Ohio. Sam had no idea who Batman was in real life, but he must be rich; like, _Bruce Wayne_ rich.

Apparently, even if he were able to stay on Earth, things wouldn't be the same. First, there was his mom; since most of the students at the high school knew that he was a Green Lantern, she had to relocate to another city in another state so she wouldn't be harassed. That meant that Texas would no longer be their home, but at least she didn't have to change her identity, and she would be able to get a better job with more manageable hours, a nicer house, and not have to deal with their crappy neighbors.

The second problem was Sam himself. Apparently, the State of Texas and the U.S. Government had a fit when they learned that a 15-year-old had effectively been drafted into an intergalactic army, and still had to go back for training and assignment. Hal and John Stewart had to go to Congress and basically explain that Earth laws didn't really hold up in the rest of the universe, and that Sam had little choice in the matter. Because of this, the government conceded, but insisted that the boy continue to be in contact with his mother and the Justice League at all times.

The only bright side of this period of transition were the Rookies; they had all survived their first battle, and, after everything Sam had told them of Earth, were excited to finally be on the planet. Unfortunately, they were having trouble keeping a low profile, so Guy volunteered to look after them, introducing them to television, which was either incredibly smart or incredibly stupid. At least they stayed inside, and somehow managed to watch the first four seasons of _The Office_ in three days. Pzanar, upon learning that there were other Harry Potter books besides the first one, read them all, determined to bring the copies back to his planet to share with his friends. The Twins both discovered a radio, and constantly sat by it, listening to every type of music imaginable. Uhjan, meanwhile, found out about the internet, and started searching for anything that came to his mind, memorizing whole texts of information. It was kind of funny, watching them act that way, but deep down, Sam knew that it wouldn't last; eventually, they would all have to leave Earth forever.

His mom could tell that it was tough on him, and he could tell that her life wasn't a walk in the park as well. Every night, they sat in his room, just… talking. Talking about their old life. Talking about their time apart this past summer. And talking about the future. His mom had, by this point, accepted that he would not be a major part of her life from now on; he could tell she was not thrilled by this, but, for his sake, was putting on a brave face. It only reminded him of how awesome his mom was, and how little he would see her after this. That's why, whenever they talked, he would simply hold her hand, reminding her that he loved her. She held it back, reminding him that he would always be her son, and that while this day had to happen eventually, she would still miss him. At least Sam knew that the Justice League would take care of her; they'd offered her a monthly stipend since he was technically a hero, and she said yes after he convinced her that she deserved to be happy. Diana would also be checking up on her, making sure she was okay.

But, most days, Sam sat in his room, either on his phone, sleeping, or staring at the ring on his finger; they'd stopped taking turns looking after him once he'd healed enough to be on his own. Again, he wondered why, out of the trillions of beings in the universe, the ring chose him; he even tried verbally asking it, hoping it might answer. However, it never did; it just sat there, ready to be used. So that was what he did during the day while everyone else was either fighting a different kind of battle over him, or downstairs enjoying Earth; he sat in his room, simply waiting for something to happen.

* * *

**Kilowog POV:**  
It had now been four days since the attack on the school, and Kilowog realized it was the longest he'd ever been on Earth before. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, but he decided not to say anything about it, since his needs were the least of anyone's concern.

Of course, after what happened at the high school (that green vortex was visible from space), Hal had to go explain to the world governments why a teenager was selected to be a Green Lantern as everyone else made sure that the Red and Yellow Lanterns didn't come back. Whatever Sam did to them, it must've been enough to keep them from coming back anytime soon, and that was fine with everyone. In fact, it was harder to convince the Earth governments to allow Sam to go back to Oa, since they said he was a minor and therefore couldn't be drafted.

Funny, humans still think they're special and that their laws worked everywhere in the universe.

For their own safety, the McDormands were moved from their small Texas home to one of the many safe houses Batman had around the country. It was in someplace called Ohio, which was was far away from where the small family used to live, but it was only temporary until everything was settled. For instance, Mrs. McDormand needed a safe place to live where she wouldn't be harassed or targeted because of her son, and Sam needed a place to rest before going back to Oa.

The other Rookies survived their first battle, though the twins were in a 12-hour coma before waking up. When they were up, however, it was almost chaos keeping them and the others from going into the nearby town to explore Earth details; apparently Sam had told them all about the good stuff that the planet had to offer, and it took the trainer threatening them with permanent assignment on Oa if they wouldn't stay inside. They still watched TV, though, absorbing everything they came into contact with. The only Rookie not to participate was Sam, who'd woken up a few hours after passing out, but kept mainly to himself or spent time with his mother, who knew by now that all she could do was hope that her son would come back to her someday.

Kilowog could tell that Sam wasn't ready for what would come next; sure, he saved the day, showing that he could hold his own in a battle, but he was still a kid. And a smart one that knew that he would soon get assigned somewhere in the universe, probably not seeing home again for a long time. It was difficult for Hal and the other humans when they first started, but it would probably be worse for the kid.

The alien knew he still had to apologize to Sam, but had no idea where to start. It was just… _awkward;_ they both were technically under the influence of Elantra, but she merely guided their actions, not controlled them, so they both knew they were still responsible. He'd never had to worry about apologizing before, but now that he did, he was almost afraid, but of what? The worst that happened was that the kid wouldn't forgive him, and what could he do but move on after that?

"The longer you put it off, the worse it's gonna get," Hal told him the afternoon of the fourth day.

"Put off what," the officer asked.

"Apologizing."

"Are you suggestin' I'm scared of apolagizin' ta Sam," the Bolovaxian asked a little too harshly.

"No," his friend told him calmly. "But I'm telling you that Sam probably is waiting for you to come to him."

"Even thought he technically started it?" Hal gave him a patronizing look, and Kilowog shook his head. "Fine! I… I'll apologize. Today."

"Good; it'll do you both good."

"Wait," the alien asked as the lantern made to leave the room, knowing that he needed some advice from someone of the same species as the kid. "What… what should I say? How do I start?"

The human shrugged. "Just… be honest with him, and know that he feels guilty too."

"Why would he have ta feel guilty?"

"You'd be amazed at how much a human can blame themselves; especially at his age," Hal replied, leaving the room, and leaving the alien deep in thought.

..

Later that night, while Guy was watching some sort of Hairy Putter movie with the Rookies, Kilowog finally walked to the room at the end of the hall, hesitated, and knocked on the door, careful not to break it (doors on Earth were pretty flimsy). There was no answer.

"Uh… Sam," Kilowog said, knocking again. "Look, I get that ya probably don't wanna talk ta me right now, but I gotta tell ya somethin'... Sam? Sam?" Was the kid even in the room? Careful not to destroy the door handle, he slowly opened the door, looking into the room.

The room looked like most of the rooms in the house; spacious, and without a bunch of extra furniture. A bed sat nearby, along with a desk and dresser. He found Sam sitting on one of those bench seats underneath the window, the setting sun through the window giving his sepia skin an almost unnatural glow.. The combat officer noticed that the teen was wearing civilian clothes, despite the power ring on his finger; probably enjoying them before having to wear a uniform for the rest of his life. He was huddled with his feet up on the seat, staring out the window with some sort of green construct covering his ears, which probably explained why the kid didn't hear him.

Ducking through the doorway, Kilowog approached the teen, wondering what the things over his ears were. Whatever it was, the kid was so focused on staring out the window, he didn't notice the training officer approach. Knowing that he'd probably be in for a punch in the jaw if he was too sudden, he created a shield construct before speaking up, hoping the kid could hear him. "Sam?"  
The teen freaked out, whirling around and shooting a beam of green light at the Lantern, who blocked it with his shield. The boy's scared look was quickly replaced with an angry one upon seeing who it was.

"Do you make it a point to sneak up on people, Sir," he asked, the construct vanishing from his head.

"Not my fault you didn't hear me when I knocked," the pink alien replied, his shield construct vanishing..

Sam rolled his eyes a little at that. "That doesn't automatically mean you can just barge into someone's room. Especially for someone who's apparently powerful enough to take out two rival Corp groups at once." He picked up a small black device that was sitting next to him, the alien vaguely recalling that it was a human communication device, and the teen pressed something on the screen before turning back to him. "Now what do you want?"

"Elantra's been taken care of," the Bolovaxian told the boy. "We're keeping her under guard at the Justice League Tower, and she will be brought back to Oa to face trial for her crimes. Manhunter was able to isolate the part of her brain that allowed her to read and control others, and removed it."

"So she's just a regular alien now?"

"If regular means not bein' able ta mess with our heads, then yes."

"Good," Sam said firmly. "Is that all you wanted to say?"

"No."

"Then what is it; I'm busy."

"Moping around your room every day is busy," Kilowog asked.

"I'm not moping," the teen said annoyedly.

"Well, for someone who's been home for nearly a week, ya think you'd be out there enjoyin' your time left here before ya leave," he replied, hesitating before continuing. "I get that you're scared-"

"I never said that!"

"Ya didn't have ta; I've been around for a while… I can tell."

"Really," Sam replied sarcastically. "Then, Sir, tell me what I'm so scared of? _Hmm? _Going back to Oa? Never seeing my mom again? Scared of fighting another battle again?"

"Take your pick," the Bolovaxian told him grimly. "Ya covered it pretty well."

"So I can't be scared now?"

"Ya can, but you're not supposed ta let it keep ya from doin' your job."

"That's right! I have a sworn duty to protect the _entire universe_ now, literally unable to stop until I die! All because I got chosen by a _fucking ring,_" he snapped, holding up his hand and displaying the green ring. "Thanks for reminding me that I've been robbed of the rest of my life, _Sir!_ I didn't _choose_ for this to happen to me; I didn't _choose_ to-"

"None of us _chose_ ta become a Green Lantern," the pink alien interrupted, trying his best not to let his temper get the better of him. "_I_ certainly didn't! Did ya think I _wanted _ta leave my planet; my family and friends, barely seein' them again? On my planet, bein' chosen as a Green Lantern was the equivalent of bein'_ exiled;_ we lived with a communal mind, striving for peace and the good of everyone, and I couldn't be there to add my help or accept it from others! Ya can't even comprehend how hard it was for me, unable ta see my home for over a year at a time! Then, I failed ta save them all from dyin' and you have the nerve ta sit there and complain about _your_ life?!"

He'd ended up yelling at the teen, who simply sat there in shock, silent as the words probably shut him up. The alien struggled to calm himself down, but he eventually did. "So," Kilowog continued, a lot calmer than he was seconds earlier, "don't sit there and think that you're special in that regard. And don't assume I don't know what I'm talkin' about, 'cause I do."

Silence followed this statement, and the two of them simply sat there for several moments, seemingly unsure of how to continue. Kilowog didn't know apologizing would be this hard, and wondered if he would even be able to do so, given the kid's stubbornness. He even wondered if the teen would even forgive him, or apologize himself. Then, Sam did something that surprised the Bolovaxian: he calmed down as well, his angry expression disappearing. "I… I'm sorry, Sir," he eventually said, looking humiliated and almost defeated, avoiding the alien's eyes. "I… I shouldn't have snapped at you."

The combat officer was so surprised by the sudden change in behavior, he nearly lost his train of thought, but fortunately found it again. "Uh… it's nothing. And you don't have to call me Sir right now; Kilowog'll be fine."

"Sorry," the teen replied, looking down at the power ring on his finger. "But… I _do_ know why you're here."

"Really?"

The teen nodded. "You're gonna ask about how I did what I did during the battle; I heard Hal and the others talking about it the first couple nights, and I assume you discussed it with them."

"I did," the alien admitted. "But that's not-

"I… I don't know what I did," Sam interrupted, still preoccupied with the memory constructs. "I just… I don't _know!_"

"Even if ya don't know how ya did it, what ya did was take down two groups of highly-powered individuals all by yourself; they're not comin' after ya anytime soon after that ass-kickin' ya gave them!" He tried to add some humor to the conversation, but it didn't work as the teen didn't laugh or smile.

"But I didn't do it alone," Sam told him, a thoughtful look on his face. "Swet'llanga… all the other past Lanterns… _they_ did all the work. I just-"

"-Somehow figured out how to bring them out of your ring without ever meeting them or knowing a thing about them," the alien told him. "They didn't come back from the dead just to help ya!"

"I know," he replied, still looking down at his feet. "I… I was just caught up in the moment of the battle; I didn't know if it would actually work!"

"But it did."

"What if it _didn't,_" the teen snapped, looking up at him with an angry expression; it was starting to scare Kilowog how quickly the teen was able to change emotions at the drop of a hat. "What if I sat there, trying to do something, and nothing happened? We'd all be _dead,_ probably! The only time I actually do something that's powerful enough to make a difference, and I don't even know what I did!" The boy hit the wall behind him, wincing at the pain as he started to use his ring to repair the damage to his hand.

Kilowog understood how he felt; when Elantra had revealed how she'd messed with his mind to turn him against Sam, he felt sick. Not just because of what she had done, but because of how easily he'd let himself be manipulated; he was stronger than that, and it was humiliating to be played in that manner. However, he knew that right now, this was about Sam, not him; the kid was clearly more scared of going back than he'd ever been.

_Just be honest with him,_ Hal's voice rang in his head, helping the alien straighten out his thoughts. Keeping that in mind, he decided to heed his friend's advice. And, knowing he had to start somewhere, he started at the beginning.

"My planet, Bolovax Vik, was one of the most crowded in the universe," he said, preparing himself to tell his story again, which was something he'd only done to a few other individuals in his entire life. "Over sixteen billion lifes on it, and we all shared what ya might call a communal mind; we all shared the same goal of peace, and everyone did their part ta achieve said goal. It truly was paradise, for me." He sensed Sam freeze at the mention of his planet, but he continued to talk, knowing if he stopped now, he would never tell the whole story.

"I was a genetic scientist when my ring's previous owner, Branwilla, died; our planet had a history of giving Green Lanterns, the same ring passing on from one ta the next. I was chosen ta be the next Green Lantern, but it meant leaving my family and friends behind; on my planet, it was like being sent into exile, since I would be separated from them, unable to share with one another. I didn't want ta go, at first, but knew that I had a duty ta protect not just my world, but every world, whether I liked it or not. So I left, leaving my wife and kids behind, as well as the only life I ever knew… it was the hardest thing I've ever done. My… my old trainer used ta even make me create an occasional memory construct of my family since I missed them so much, but over time, I grew used ta the feeling.

"I was on my planet when it was destroyed; my ring protected me, but everyone else wasn't so lucky. Knowing that I had only seconds, I gathered all 16 billion of their life energies and put them in my ring." Sam looked up at that, shocked, to say the least. "I kept them there until I found a suitable planet for them before setting them free."

"Wait," the teen interrupted, looking surprised, "you just… stored 16 billion lives in your ring… just like that?"

"Yes."

"I-" The human shook his head, unable to process how or why that worked, and the alien could understand why; when Kilowog had told the other human lanterns, they'd said it sounded like something out of a comic book. Even the thought of a communal mind was foreign to them. "That must've been tough; but at least your people are alive somewhere, right?"

Kilowog looked down at that, knowing what was coming next. "Sinestro… destroyed that second planet… I couldn't save them that time."

Silence followed that statement, and the Bolovaxian tried again not to think about what it must've been like in those final moments for his family, friends, and his entire race before they were extinguished. Just blotted out of existence, as if they were never there. His two kids… never reaching adulthood… his wife… He could tell that the teen was trying to think of something to say, perhaps to offer his condolences, but failing miserably; he knew from experience that most people he told this story to had no words to express how they felt about his planet and people dying.

"When a ring chooses someone new," he continued, giving the boy time to think, "they chose someone who overcame or has the ability ta overcome fear; fear, as you remember, is the enemy of will, which is why the Yellow Lanterns are our greatest threat. My… my fear was never getting ta see my family or friends again if I ever had ta leave Bolovax Vik; I had a wife and kids… I would only get ta see them a few times a year if I left, and Bolovaxians stay together for life. But once I overcame that fear, I became the Lantern I am today. I still miss my family and species… more than I can evah say… but every day I'm out there making the universe a better place, the more I know that they're proud of me and what I'm doing. I am the last of my kind, but I will not let our memory die before I do."

Silence again, but this time, there was a sense of finality in the air, as if a great weight had been lifted off of the conversation. By now, the sun was setting over the valley outside, and was not as bright as it was earlier; the sky was starting to become that familiar black as a few stars appeared in the sky.

"I…" Sam finally spoke up, a lot quieter than he had been before the story, and still unable to look him in the eye. "I… I'm so sorry. I… I had no idea-"

"It's fine," the alien assured him. "You had no way of knowing, but you sure took me by surprise your first day on Oa."

"One of the other Rookies had mentioned… but I didn't… I'm sorry, Sir," the boy said, hugging his knees as he stared out at the view outside. "I… I really am." He _sounded_ sorry, Kilowog could tell, and was probably about to start crying or something; he had no idea what he would do if he started crying, and gave an internal sigh of relief when the teen turned back to him, dry-eyed but somber. "I… You didn't come here to ask about how I did what I did."

"No," Kilowog agreed.

"You… you came to apologize."

"Yes."

Sam was silent for a few seconds, a thoughtful expression covering his face; Kilowog could tell that he was trying to figure out if this was a joke or another attack. Then, he swung his feet off the seat, turning around to face the Bolovaxian completely. "I… I need to say something too; before you apologize. I mean, if I got to hear _your_ story…" He hesitated again, as if worried that the combat trainer wouldn't care to listen.

"I'll hear yours," the alien replied respectfully, figuring that this might be part of Sam's apology, and not wanting to go back to a shouting match; besides, it would give him time to figure out exactly how to apologize without making things worse. The teen gave him a quick look at the answer, but looked back down at the ring on his finger, nodding.

"I was a normal kid; I wasn't the best at sports or school, but I wasn't the worst. Just… average. But my dad… he told me that I was special… said that I could do anything that I put my mind to. And I believed him. He could always make you smile… just by being in the same room as you. It was his gift, you could say; making others feel as happy as he was, and he had a lot of happiness to go around. My mom and him and I… we were just one happy family. One that was quickly torn apart when someone got a little too drunk one night and hit him as he was on his way home from work. I was ten years old at the time.

"My dad… after he died… it was like… like the world stopped being a good place; now it was full of death and sadness and… it didn't have my dad in it. My mom was worse; she became distracted, lost her job, and was unable to find another one that could support both of us without him. We had his life insurance policy, but it only lasted a couple years, and most went to his funeral. It was as if the light in our lives had been snuffed out, leaving nothing but sorrow. It was during this time I listened to an old tape he'd given me for my birthday before he died, using his old music player. I'll never forget what he told me after I opened the present… He said that each song in the tad had a story; a reason for why he was so happy all the time. I asked for him to tell me plenty of times, and he said he would, when I was older… I never _did_ find out why those songs made him happy…" This was the part where the pink alien expected him to start crying, but to his surprise, the boy managed to keep himself together, still not looking at anything in particular.

"After he died, I listened to that tape. Over and over again… searching for what it was about these eight songs that could make him so full of joy… so full of _life_. I _wanted_ to be happy again, so I thought that, if I could find out why they made him happy… I would be, too. For over a year that I listened to it, finding nothing; I _wanted_ to be happy again, and I wanted my dad's tape to help me. But then, one day… it hit me. In order for me to be happy again… I would have to move on. Move on from his death, move on from focusing on his absence, and move on from trying to solve a mystery I was never going to solve because he wouldn't be there to help. And I knew, in that moment, the longer I kept listening to that tape, remembering him and feeling sad that I couldn't be like him or that he wasn't here, the longer it would take for me to be happy again. If I wanted to be happy again… I had to let the music player, and his memories attached to it, go."

"And that was your fear," Kilowog spoke up in a soft voice. "Lettin' him go; movin' on… without him."

The teen nodded silently. "I put the tape and player in a safe place, only taking it out whenever I felt sad or needed to remember my dad. And… I moved on. I became normal and happy again, as did my mom, who found a couple jobs to support us, and over time, we adjusted to him no longer being there. But I still kept the player, knowing that while I would never figure out what the songs meant, it would always be there… a reminder of my silent promise to be happy like him… like he'd want me to be." He held up his hand with the ring, staring at the green power ring. "I happened to be listening to it the day the ring found me, and…" He looked back up at Kilowog, who could tell that the kid was close to cracking. "I wonder… I wonder if he'd still be happy for me… if he were alive to see how unhappy I've become."

_Now_ Sam started crying, burying his head in his hands as he tried to muffle the sobs. The combat officer had seen many Lanterns break down crying, usually from exhaustion or stress, but this was different; this was the cry of someone who'd lost everything, and he remembered that feeling all too well. A long time ago, he was like Sam, knowing something that he cared about was gone forever, and he just wanted the sorrow and loneliness to stop. Now he knew why the music machine meant so much to him, and why the kid was so upset that it was gone; it was his Bolovax Vik. Well, he couldn't help his past self, but he would be damned if he didn't help the boy.

Kilowog didn't know why he did what he did, but he found himself getting up from his chair, kneel down on the ground next to the teen, still taller than him, and placing a tentative hand on his shoulder. Nothing bad or rough; just to let the boy know that he wasn't alone in his sorrow. He wasn't sure how Sam would react, but he only hoped that the teen didn't view it as a hostile act. The kid froze mid-cry at the sudden touch, but he didn't push it away or look up, but continued to grieve as the combat trainer sat there, waiting for him to calm down. Eventually, however, Sam's crying started to slow, and he wiped his eyes and sat up, and Kilowog removed his hand from his shoulder, waiting to see what he would say next.

"I… I'm sorry," the teen eventually said, not looking at the Bolovaxian, his eyes now red. "For _everything._ For the disrespect… and the snarky comments… and for attacking you earlier… and for flipping your tray… and your planet- I… I'm _so sorry…_ I know Elantra messed with my mind, but that wasn't until later, and I hated you long before then, and I- … I'm just sorry." He hugged his arms, as if trying to physically keep himself from crying again.

"I know," the officer replied, trying to keep his voice even and gentle-sounding (which wasn't easy; loud and gruff was part of who he was). "And I forgive ya, but I… I need ta apolagize, too. I… lost my temper that first day, and held that hatred and anger at ya for months… even though I should've just let it go. I don't care if Elantra messed with my head; I shouldn't have been on your back like that since day one. I'm sorry for all that crap I put ya through, for messin' with your head and threatening ya and beatin' ya down, and… for not bein' the friend that Hal wanted me ta be for ya." After finally saying it out loud, Kilowog instantly felt like a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Now, they had both apologized, but now came the part that troubled him the most: seeing if Sam forgave him.

"You… you _actually_ came to apologize," Sam asked, turning to face him, his eyes red and still teary. "This isn't some sort of trick or something?"

"Of course not," the alien replied. "I… No more tricks. I promise."

Sam didn't answer right away, but simply looked at him, no longer crying. Kilowog didn't know what to think; was he forgiven? Was the kid mad now? Did he even belive him? "So," Sam eventually said, interrupting the Bolovaxian's train of thought, "I guess… I guess we're both sorry for what we did."

" … Yeah," the alien agreed, nodding his head solemnly.

"And… I know that we both didn't mention Elantra… but I think that's good… we took responsibility for our actions without using her as an excuse." He looked up at Kilowog. "Thank you."

"Thank you," he replied, knowing that he was already forgiven before the boy said it out loud.

The kid nodded. "And I forgive you… for everything." They both fell silent for a few moments, thinking over what had just happened, knowing that their old feud had finally ended, and the unknown lay before them both. "Uh… Now what?"

"Now what," Kilowog repeated. It was a good question; they'd obviously apologized and forgiven one another. What came next? He'd been so focused on just making things right, he hadn't thought about what happened after that. "What do ya think happens next?"

"I mean, we're going back to Oa soon, finish training, and then… and…" He looked up at the Bolovaxian with a questioning look. "Are... are we friends now?"

Kilowog thought it over for a few moments, wondering the same question himself, but knowing that there was only one clear answer. "No," he finally said.

"Oh," the teen said, and the alien could sense the hurt in his voice. "I… Sorry… I thought-"

"We're not friends _yet,_" he corrected the teen, cutting off the apology. "Friendships take time; I wasn't exactly the nicest guy to Hal when he first joined, so we had to get to know one another. Though I will say," he added, giving the boy a small smile, "I look forward ta bein' your friend."

Sam stared at him for a few seconds, as if wondering if it was some sort of trick or lie. Eventually, however, he smiled too, deciding that the compliment was genuine. "Okay, Sir."

"Kilowog," the alien corrected him, holding out his hand. "And you're Sam. Not Poozer."

"Now _that's_ a welcome change I can live with," the teen replied, shaking his hand. "Uh… but may I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"When do we have to go back to Oa?"

"Probably in the next day or so," the pink alien told him. "We need ta finish your training as well as the Rookies', and then ya need ta go before the Guardians for your final test."

"Okay."

The Bolovaxian held up his ring, making a simple clock construct. "It's 7:30 now. Are ya hungry?"

The teen nodded. "Kinda; I mean, it's dinnertime." He picked up the small communication device, checked it, then looked back at Kilowog. "According to a text, Hal left money for pizza."

"I've heard ya humans love that stuff. What is it?"

"It's really good; basically, it's a circular piece of flatbread with tomato sauce, cheese, and whatever other toppings you wanna add to it. They cut it into slices so you could share it with friends and stuff. Would you like-" He stopped talking, as if remembering that they weren't friends, and pizza was only reserved for friends. "I mean, you can eat something else if you want to-"

"I want ta try this pizza," Kilowog interrupted, smiling again. "Sounds good. Besides, if we're gonna become friends, we gotta start somewhere, don't we?"

Sam smiled; a real, happy smile that made him look completely different from the moping kid he'd seen earlier. "Fine. Then let's get some before Guy takes the money for himself."

* * *

**Hal POV:**

When Hal, Mrs. McDormand and the other Green Lanterns came home later that night, they weren't surprised by the scene in the living room.

The Rookies had fallen asleep on the couches and chairs, the TV still playing some movie as the aliens snored and, in Pznar's case, occasionally coughed. Guy, who'd stayed behind to look after them, was asleep as well, curled up by the coffee table and sleeping peacefully. They knew that the troublesome Lantern would keep the aliens occupied, and he had done his job well. However, this wasn't the strangest part of the scene (even though the twins apparently slept mid-air), as they walked towards the kitchen and froze, staring at the sight in front of them.

Kilowog and Sam were sitting at the kitchen table, talking. A pizza box lay nearby, its contents empty, but the two each had a glass of soda in front of them. However, a small green construct covered the middle of the table, seeming to be simulating a battlefield. The incoming group simply stared in shock, seeing the two of them sitting and having a civil conversation, and not upset with one another. They waited for one or both of them to notice them, but they seemed so engrossed in their conversation, they didn't notice the group as they stood in the walkway, watching them.

"So this is where the Mexican Army was," Sam was saying, pointing to one side of the map, "and this is were the Texan Army came from and attacked them." He drew his finger along the map as tiny soldiers ran across it. "And that's how Texas won the war and claimed independence for itself."

"Impressive," Kilowog replied, the cup in front of him comically smaller than his hand. "And this… San Ja-sin-ta place is important?"

"San _Jacinto,_" the teen corrected, the construct fading away. "And yes, it is pretty important; we even built a monument there." A small version of said monument appeared on the table. "It has an observation deck at the top where you can see for miles around."

"We had a similar tower back on Bolovak Vix," the alien told him, holding up his ring and creating a similar tower next to the boy's, minus the star at the top. "It was a science buildin'."

"How tall was it?"

"About… Ya measure height in stories, right?"

"Yeah… kinda."

"About 120 stories."

"Woah! That's more than… twice as tall as the monument!"

"Yeah, but your monument stands for somethin' important ta ya; ours was just one of hundreds of science buildings."

"That is true," the teen agreed, the two constructs fading away. "Now let's go back to the Alamo!" However, Hal cleared his throat at that moment, causing the two to look up in surprise at the group standing in the doorway of the kitchen.

"How long have y'all been standing there," Sam asked.

"We just got in," Ch'p replied, floating next to the group. "So… I assume everything here went well?"

Sam and Kilowog exchanged a quick glance. "Yeah," the officer finally said. "Everything's bettah now."

"Yep," Sam agreed, smiling at the group, but it was a real smile, not a fake one.

"Sam," his mother said, probably noticing her son's change in behavior, "I need to talk to you for a second."

"Sure." He grabbed the pizza box, tossing it into the trash as he left the room. "See you all tomorrow!"

"Bye," Hal repeated as the teen followed his mom towards the upstairs. The Green Lantern turned back to Kilowog. "I believe he forgave you?"

"Yeah," Kilowog agreed, getting up from his chair. "And I forgave him."

"Glad to see you two are becoming good friends," John commented.

"Me too," the Bolovaxian replied. He walked over to Hal. "Thanks, by the way, for your advice and all that."

"No trouble," his friend replied. "Glad I could help. So… you two looked like best friends a minute ago."

"Yeah."

"Does this mean you're replacing me," the human joked.

Kilowog smile. "Ain't no one replacin' anyone," he replied. "Just… addin' a new friend is all."

* * *

**And finally, they're friends! Don't worry, though; this isn't the last chapter.**

**I know, that this chapter was super long; one of the longest in this story, in fact, and didn't include a lot of action. But I knew that this apology deserved it's own time and place, and that it needed to be as long as it needed to be in order to be genuine. I hope it was worth it.**

**Feel free to follow or favorite this story or my profile to be updated on new chapters, and feel free to leave a review on this chapter or others if you want. And, as usual, have a safe and happy week/weekend!**

**-aggiefrogger**

**Note: I do NOT own _The Office,_ Harry Potter, the Alamo, the San Jacinto Monument or Texas History in ANY way, shape or form!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey Readers!**

**This is the last chapter of the story. Thank you to everyone who read, followed, favorited, and reviewed this story. This chapter's for you.**

* * *

**Goodbye to the Past, Hello to the Future:**

"You can do this," Sam told himself, staring at the set of doors in front of him. "It'll be fine; you're ready for this." Still, he hesitated before opening the doors, walking into the room that would determine his entire future.

It was dark, with only a circle of light in the middle of the room being the only illumination; a spotlight almost, directing him where to stand. The teen cautiously walked forward, on guard for any attack, and stood in the center of the room, waiting to see what would happen. The other Rookies who went before him never came back outside; they were simply called into the room for their Final Tests one at a time, and now he waited with bated breath for whatever was to come.

He and the other Lanterns had flown back to Oa a little over a week ago, and the Rookies and he had finished their training with Kilowog, preparing them for whatever the final test may be. The training sergeant didn't know what the test consisted of, but made them do everything from sparring to drills to lecturing about lantern lore and even reviewing basics. Of course, there was a certain air of awkwardness; Elantra had been sent to the Guardians, tried for her crimes, and sentenced to some sort of prison called the Sciencells, where she would spend the rest of her life. Also, of course, there was Sam himself; everyone there saw how truly powerful he could be, and knew that they would never view their friend the same way.

Speaking of friends, Kilowog no longer insulted Sam, used him as a training dummy, or even called him a Poozer; however, he was still as adamant with him as he was with the others when it came to training, determined not to show favorites. However, each evening, they spent about an hour getting to know one another, simply talking about their lives, slowly and surely becoming friends. The Bolovaxian talked about his life back on his planet, his family, his son who was Sam's age when he was killed, and some of his adventures in the Corp. Sam, meanwhile, told him about his life before the Corp; the happy years with his dad was alive, the time he broke his arm after the neighbor's dog accidentally ran into his path, and of his time on Oa, training with the other Rookies and growing in his power. Of course, it was awkward at first, given the history between the two, but both found that the time spent just talking, not having to worry about protecting the universe or do anything else, to be enjoyable.

"Do you think I'll pass," he had asked the officer the previous day after training. "Even with my age and lack of maturity?"

The alien hesitated, but then nodded. "Yep. You're gonna be great."

"Honest?"

"Honest." And besides that, the teen had gotten no other support, but he knew that Kilowog was telling the truth, and couldn't prepare him for everything. All he could do was wait for his time to show what he could do, and hope that the Guardians-

"Samuel McDormand."

A light turned on somewhere above him, and Sam looked up, squinting as his eyes readjusted, his thoughts interrupted. Then, he gasped, finally seeing the Guardians of Oa for the first time.

They were on some sort of platform floating above him, staring down at him. They all looked similar; short, blue skin, and white hair. They stood there, maybe twelve or more of them, silently judging him; the teen found himself straightening up so he wasn't slouching. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to answer them or not, but they seemed to be waiting for something.

"Y-Yes," he finally said, trying to keep his voice even and praying it didn't crack.

"Present your ring," one of them said, his voice somehow echoing through the room. Sam wasn't sure what that meant, but figuring he should do something, he took off his ring, holding it up to them. It floated out of his hand, hovering in front of the tiny aliens, glowing brightly.

"You have come far since you were chosen, Samuel," one of them said, the ring floating over to his hands, and he examined it. "But your journey started long before the ring found you."

"Uh… yeah," he replied, not sure of what else to say; the Guardians had apparently been around for thousands of years, so he didn't doubt that they knew stuff about him.

"Your peers have told us of your exploits," another Guardian said. "Your reputation precedes you."

"Is… is that a good thing?"

A few of them actually laughed at that, only making him more worried about what might come. "That depends on who you ask," another one of them said, the ring floating back to Sam, who took it from the air. "But they are not the ones to judge your character or worthiness of the ring. We are." The teen gulped nervously, waiting for the hammer to fall.

"Now, one thing I've noticed is that he hasn't let his age go to his head," one of the aliens spoke up. "He's the youngest Lantern we've ever had so far, _and_ human, no less, and you know how prone they are to bragging." There was a murmur of agreement from all sides, and Sam decided to keep his mouth shut, though his cheeks burned.

"But that doesn't mean he is without faults," another one said. "His age makes him especially vulnerable, since his mind is still adapting to the world around him, and he still has much to learn."

"But he is not inhibited by the mental restraints that most adults have," another one said. "He still believes that he could do anything with the ring, and that confidence has been seen in his fighting abilities and constructs."

"Yes, let's discuss that," a Guardian said, looking down at the boy. "You created a blast radius of over 300 yards, and a noise equivalent to that of a sonic boom." The others turned to the human as well, as if expecting an explanation.

"Um," Sam started, trying not to show how scared he was, "well… I kind of… let my emotions get the better of me, and-"

"We are aware of the circumstances surrounding your exit from Oa," one of the blue aliens spoke up.

"But what interests us," another continued, "is what happened on Earth; many of our Lanterns told us of what you did to save your friends, and we find it most curious."

"You and me both," Sam muttered.

"You have a great knack for memory constructs, visible throughout the odd music devices you created while you fought, and most prominent in the appearance of every past wielder of your ring. Never before had we met someone with that kind of ability; consider yourself lucky that you were able to hone it enough to help your friends."

"However it happened," another alien said, "the fact remains that he is too unstable to properly wield the ring!"

"But he has completed all of his training," another one argued. "And he saved not only a group of our Lanterns and his fellow Rookies, but his own species as well. The battlefield is where one needs to properly wield their ring, and I say he did a good job." More comments of the teen's ability to ring sling filled the room, and the human wondered if he would ever get tested on something; he knew that the Guardians were… interesting, but he couldn't stand just waiting for something to happen.

"But we must get back to the matter at hand," a Guardian said, silencing the others. "Samuel McDormand stands before us as a candidate of being a full member of the Green Lantern Corps. It is time for his Test."

"Agreed," the others spoke at once, their collective voice echoing through the room. Sam gulped, ready for anything that might come… hopefully.

"We have seen your life," a central alien told him. "Your ring contains your memories, your every experience before and after the ring chose you. You have great potential to be a great Lantern, and have shown the ability to overcome great fear. But you know that being a Lantern means certain sacrifices on your behalf; mainly, the absences from your planet and family, as well as loosing the youthful and care-free time of your life." Sam felt his heart sink at those words; did this mean he _was_ being assigned somewhere off of Earth? How far away was it?

"Your final test," the Guardian continued, "is to say goodbye to the life you have led before this moment. Because once you bear the insignia of the Corp, your life is no longer yours, but belongs to every being in this universe under your protection."

The teen froze, not sure of what to do. He had to say goodbye to his _past life?_ How the heck was he supposed to do that? Just say, "Sorry old me, goodbye forever?" It seemed like too easy a task, and wondered if it could actually be that simple. Besides, he and the Rookies were told that each of them needed to create a construct for the Guardians to observe, so how was he supposed to show that he was leaving his past-

The answer suddenly hit him like a ton of bricks, and he was scared, knowing what would happen next. Of course, he had no idea what to expect, but all thoughts of anything else he had prepared to make were out the window as he knew what had to be done. Why else would the Guardians focus on his memory construct abilities; they obviously wanted to see what he could do. Still, it was crazy to think about, and he spent a minute building up the courage and willpower to do what needed to be done. So, taking a breath and letting it go, he held up his ring, and two constructs appeared in front of him. He ignored the Guardians, focusing on the two most important people in his life as they stood before him.

His mother looked the same that she had looked the day he'd left Oa after the battle; trying to keep a brave face, but her eyes still tearing up. Of course, it wasn't really her; it was just a construct based on Sam's perception of his real mom, but, since it was based on his memories, it acted and looked just like his mom back on Earth. She smiled at him, holding the hand of the construct next to her.

Even after he'd gotten his ring months before, Sam had never made a construct of his father; he didn't want to see him again, plus he wasn't sure if it would even work. Now, his father stood before him, smiling as well. He looked the same he had so many years ago, even down to the tiny scar on his ear from the time an infant Sam had thrown his spoon at him.

"Hi mom," Sam said. "Hi… dad."

"Long time no see," his dad said, smiling, but a trace of sadness in his tone.

The teen nodded. "No kidding. Do you know that the real you-"

"I know," his dad replied. "But don't worry about me; I'm fine. Really, I am. But you know I have to say it."

"I… I know."

"I'm so proud of you, Sam," the construct told him. "You've come so far, and have grown into a fine young man."

"But," the boy said, "your music player-"

"Was just a music player; it was no longer mine once I gave it to you. In fact, it's almost a good thing that it was destroyed; now, you can go out and create your own stories. Your own happy memories and songs, so long as it is truly you. Promise me you'll do that?" Sam nodded, close to tears, as he turned to face his mom, not wanting to say goodbye to her again, even though it wasn't the real her.

"Mom," he said, "I just want you to know how sorry I am that this had to happen; you don't deserve to deal with the consequences of me being a Lantern."

"I know that," she replied, wiping her eyes, "but dang it, Sam; I _knew_ that this would happen eventually. I knew… I knew long ago that I would have to say goodbye to you forever, resigning myself to living alone for the rest of my life. I will admit, I didn't expect it to come so soon, but know that I support you. Even if you cant see it or hear it, I will always love and support you. And… while visiting for Christmas may be a little bit harder, I think you have the will to do it." Sam laughed at that, a few tears in his eyes as his mom smiled and his dad grinned, that smile seeming to cheer him up for a little bit. Then he remembered what came next.

"I… I have to say goodbye to you both now," Sam told them, no longer able to tell that the constructs weren't real; even though they glowed green, they were his family to him. "Forever. Mom, I may never see you again for the rest of my life, and Dad-" He paused, more tears in his eyes. "I… I already said goodbye to you, but the music player brought you back, if only for a short while. But… it's time for me to move on again."

His parents nodded. "We understand," his dad told him. "I can't put a positive spin on this; all I can say is good luck, and that I love you."

"I agree," his mom said, crying as well. "But promise me this; don't forget us, or your life. You may have to say goodbye, but that doesn't mean you have to forget."

_Now_ Sam was crying, his sobs echoing through the empty room. He never knew that being a Green Lantern involved so much emotion, but he figured that when you had a ring that tapped into your very mind itself, your emotions were probably affected in some way. The words were ready; all he had to do was say them. But, he couldn't help but run forward into his parent's arms, the three of them in one family hug, their sorrow and love shared as one. The constructs even felt like real people, and the teen almost smelled his dad's aftershave, along with the shampoo his mother used.

"G-Goodbye," he whispered, hugging them as more tears streamed down his face. "I… I love you both."

"We love you too," his dad told him as his mother hugged him. "And we forgive you." Then, as suddenly as they had appeared, they vanished, sending Sam to his knees, staring at the air in front of him.

Another cry echoed in the room, and Sam covered his face, trying to get himself under control; while his parents were gone, he knew that he couldn't very well sit there while the Guardians were watching him. And, knowing that he had to move on, he wiped his tears, stood up, and looked at the aliens, determined not to show weakness. He was still shaken by what he'd just been through, but he knew that he had to push through… it was no good to dwell on the past, especially with his new life ahead of him.

"You have passed the test," the central Guardian said simply, not affected by the emotional scene. "You are now a Green Lantern."

Hearing that, the teen was surprised that there wasn't more of a fanfare or happiness form him at the news. He was now a Green Lantern; he should be proud of himself, or at least glad he didn't fail, but he didn't feel different. If anything, he felt the same, and wondered if he was just still recovering from seeing his dad again.

"Now, for your assignment." The Guardians looked down at him, ready to deliver the sentence that would determine where Sam would live for the rest of his life. "Given your abilities with memory constructs, unlike any we've seen before, we have decided that you will be assigned to the following Sector of 2814. You will have the task of guarding the sector from harm, as well as assisting the other Lanterns stationed there, along with the unspoken assignment of defending Oa whenever necessary. However, you will also report to Oa in six months time, where you will be re-evaluated on your performance before returning to your sector. Do you accept this assignment?"

"Yes," Sam said, trying to remember where sector 2814 was; it sounded familiar, but he couldn't place where it was. He regretted now not researching where the important sectors were, so he had no idea how far from Earth this sector was. "Um… thank you, Guardians. I will serve the Corp with every ounce of being within me."

"Now, recite the oath," they told him.

Sam held up his ring, staring at it, still trying to remember where sector 2814 as he started to say the familiar chant. _"In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who-"_ He stopped, his mouth dropping open in shock as he finally remembered that sector 2814 was where Earth was located. "YES!"

"What did you just say," one of the aliens asked, looking as surprised as the rest of them.

"Oh… sorry," the teen said quickly, flushing with embarrassment but smiling as he realized that he would be able to see his mom again, as well as visit her for Christmas. It looked like Earth, along with the other planets in the 2814 sector, had a new Green Lantern. So, as he recited the rest of the Oath, Sam couldn't help but grin as he knew that his life was about to change forever, but for the better.

**IN BRIGHTEST DAY, IN BLACKEST NIGHT,**

**NO EVIL SHALL ESCAPE MY SIGHT,**

**LET THOSE WHO WORSHIP EVIL'S MIGHT,**

**BEWARE MY POWER… **_**GREEN LANTERN'S LIGHT!**_

* * *

_Five months later…_

"I'm fine, mom," Sam told her, walking down a street in Canton, Ohio, where they lived now, finding it easy to hide in a crowd. "The movie was great."

"Just be careful," his mom replied, calling him during her lunch break at a middle school, where she worked as the office secretary. "Love you!"

"Love you too. Bye." Hanging up, he put on his headphones, went to his music, and pressed play on his playlist, smiling a little as "What's Up Danger" started playing in his ears.

Right now, life was good; sure, the move from Texas to Ohio was tough, but after everything Sam went through with the corp, it seemed easier. Plus, he and his mom were together as a family, which made him happy. Technically, he was supposed to be home schooled, but he didn't really study or need to; he'd be a Green Lantern until he died, so there was no need to study and get a degree. He still wanted to, though, but for now, he was content with exploring the city and protecting Earth, as well as occasionally hanging out with the Justice League, as well as a group of teenage superheroes who called themselves The Team (though John Stewart called them Young Justice). They'd offered for him to join their group, but he'd said no, deciding to wait until he knew his mom would be okay without him, as well as waiting for his meeting with the Guardians in a month to evaluate his behavior and skills, though he'd still go train with them a few times a week if they weren't on a mission.

Of course, after becoming a Lantern, he had to say some goodbyes. The other Rookies had their assignments in other sectors, and it would be a long time before he saw them again. Of course, having grown close over the two months they'd been together, it was sad for them all, but they all knew that they had their jobs now, so one by one, they left Oa. However, the teen still had his other Lantern friends from nearby; Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Jessica Cruz, and, whenever they could visit, Ch'p and Kilowog.

Now Sam and the Bolovaxian were friends, and had completely put their past behind them. Whenever the teen had to go to Oa to recharge his lantern battery or to check up on something for the other Lanterns of his sector, the training sergeant was there, the two of them acting like lifelong friends. And in a way, they _were_ life-long friends now, seeing as how they'd be stuck working together for the rest of their lives, but the teen often joked that he'd outlast the Bolovaxian, which usually ended in the pink alien challenging him to a sparring match that the teen usually lost, though the alien would let him come close to winning. Sam always said he'd win someday, but the alien would simply help him to his feet, smirking at the thought.

But the most important change was with himself. Having moved on from the tape player, the teen had created two playlists on his phone; one held all the songs from his dad's cassette player, which he listened to every now and then. The other was his, compiled of his favorite songs, and each one having a specific memory attached to it. Maybe someday he'd tell someone about what each song meant, but for now, he was content with living in the moment, walking down the street, and witnessing a mugging in a nearby alleyway. Of course, it being a city, there was bound to be crime, and the teen always kept his eye out for anyone who needed his help.

"They can't ever take a day off," Sam said to himself, looking at the ring on his finger. "Well, let's get going then." Still listening to the music, he felt his uniform, now including a mask to hide his identity, covering his body as he stepped into the alleyway, and into the life of a Green Lantern.

* * *

**And that's the end of the story. It was quite a ride from start to finish; looking back, I had no idea the story would turn out this way, and I feel that I'd gone on this journey with Sam. But now he's ready for the future, and I can rest easy, glad that my story turned out well.**

**Feel free to favorite this story, and feel free to leave a review on this chapter or others if you want. ****And, as usual, have a safe and happy week/weekend! Thanks for your support.**

**-aggiefrogger**

**Note: I do NOT own "What's up Danger" or Young Justice in ANY way, shape or form.**


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